Shape of the Heart
by Rurichan
Summary: A CCS/DNAngel fanfic, Daisuke/Sakura pairing. ^^;; Its been a while man has ff.net changed, very AU and very un-canon. ^_- Sakura and Daisuke meet in college and learn to heal each other's hearts.
1. Outsider

  
I do ask one thing before reading. Things have changed since we left   
Sakura-verse in vol 12 and in the 2nd movie. Throw away any   
expectations you have... and then begin reading.  
  
Shape of the Heart - 1 - Outsider   
  
---  
  
Sakura sat down at the last bench. Her eyes scanned the gymnasts.  
  
"You're a gymnast?" a voice asked.  
  
She turned to see a guy sitting on the bench above her.   
  
"No." she said, "I just- I uhhh used to be a cheerleader."  
  
The guy with the voice regarded her with a look that   
said /Cheerleader?/  
  
She turned away, `don't believe me, I don't care.' she thought. `you   
asked anyways-'  
  
"So why did you quit?" he asked, "Or is that a touchy subject?"  
  
Sakura looked down at her hands, "I just lost the desire to do it."  
  
His eyes met hers, "And yet you come here to watch from the back of   
the stands."  
  
Sakura stood up, "I just came to support some friends." she   
said, "Their rotation is over, I'm going now." she grabbed her bag   
and ran down the stands.  
  
The guy watched as she ran down the stands quickly and efficiently.   
He pushed his red hair out of his eyes as he noted that she almost   
looked as if she did it everyday. He stood up and pushed his hands   
into his pockets. He sniffed at the bandage around his left foot and   
proceeded to walk down the stands as quickly as she took them.  
  
+++++  
  
"No Tomoyo," she said, "I'm doing perfectly fine. Yes- yes I got your   
designs." Sakura looked at the unopened box that sat under her   
computer desk. "Yes it fits perfectly, you know exactly what size I   
am." she said, "What? No its just that I've been so busy, I know I   
never call any more, I have midterms, college is like that you know.   
Yes Yes I'll write when I get the chance." she paused."Ne~ Tomoyo-  
chan I need to go. I have a class to go to. Okay, talk to you later."  
  
Sakura sighed and walked over to her foot rest. "Well let's open you   
up to see what Tomoyo sent me." her fingers grazed the label of the   
box, under the plastic she noted the Clamp Campus address and her own   
address. She reached into her desk drawer and pulled out a pair of   
scissors. She opened the box and tossed the scissors back into the   
drawer.  
  
"Dear Sakura-chan." she read off the letter as she closed the drawer   
with her hip. "Here is the latest from my design class, hope you   
enjoy it, wear one and remember me okay?"  
  
She looked into the box and pulled out a sweater, "Tomoyo..." she   
said with a sigh, the sweater was white with pink edging, the draw   
strings ended with large puffballs. "That'd be great if I wore white   
and pink." She smiled down at her dark jeans and navy blue shirt. She   
reached into the box again and pulled out something shiny and vinyl.  
  
"Tomoyo!" she exclaimed. A costume!? She noticed a small piece of   
paper floating back down back to the bed.  
  
"I know we aren't supposed to talk about it, but Sakura don't let it   
get to your heart. I designed this a long time ago, I thought with a   
few modifications it'd fit the older you. Wear it at a costume party   
or something. -- Tomoyo-chan"  
  
Sakura stuffed the costume back into the box ignoring the shoes and   
gloves.  
  
"Nice. I didn't think white was part of your color spectrum."  
  
Sakura looked up to see the same guy standing at the door. She   
quickly closed the box. "What are you doing here?" she asked.  
  
"Visiting a friend." he said, "Who turns out to be your roommate." he   
pointed to the room across the center room.  
  
"Oh." she said.  
  
"Actually, they're gymnast friends of mine too." he said. "You didn't   
tell me you were on the team as a freshman."  
  
"I quit." she said.  
  
"You're interesting." he said with a smile, "You seem to hate   
gymnastics but you surround yourself with it."  
  
Sakura walked to the door and said, "Goodbye." she shut the  
door on his face.  
  
"Baka." she muttered as she heard him yelp. She pulled on a coat and   
grabbed her purse. She slid her window open and slipped out onto the   
catwalk with one smooth movement.  
  
  
  
Daisuke opened the door again, "You know that could have hurt my-   
huh?" the room was empty.  
  
A trail of flying curtain caught his eye, "I see." he said his eyes   
darkening, and shut the door.  
  
+++++  
  
Sakura sighed as she leaned against the park bench.  
  
"Sakura-chan!"  
  
She looked up, "Hey Ran." she looked back at the lake in front of her.  
  
"So how's life in Sakura-verse?" Ran asked as she sat down next to   
Sakura.  
  
"Just fine." she said.  
  
Ran chuckled. "Which means Tomoyo called."  
  
Sakura smiled at her friend, "You're eerily turning into her." she   
said. "You know me a tad bit too well."  
  
"Well at least I got a smile out of you." Ran said with a chuckle.  
  
Sakura sighed, "Tomoyo lives in happy pastel world." she said as she   
told Ran what Tomoyo sent her.  
  
Ran laughed, "Cute."  
  
"Yes but I don't wear things like that anymore." she said, "And who   
knows what they do at Clamp Campus, but even the packaging is cute,   
blow fish on the boxes and the wrapping.  
  
"Well... let's see what makes Sakura-chan feel better?" Ran mused as   
she let her index finger tap gently against her lips. She turned to   
Sakura and grabbed her wrist, "Since we're skipping class yet again,   
tsk tsk Sakura-chan, we might as well go do something just as bad and   
call it a day."  
  
Sakura laughed, "Let's go, I need to stay away from my dorm anyways."  
  
"Gymnast friends being too perky again?"  
  
"No, they're fine as ever." Sakura said as they walked downtown.  
  
"But...?" Ran said tilting her head to look at Sakura.  
  
"Some random guy I met at their meet pesters me."  
  
"Wooo Sakura do I see a social life on the horizon?" Ran said, "I may   
never get to see you again!" she mocked-clinged to Sakura's arm. "It   
may make you go *gasp* back to class!"  
  
Sakura smiled, "I should..."  
  
Ran hugged Sakura around her neck, "Whatever makes you happy my   
dear," she said, "and let me say, if that guy shows up at your dorm   
again I smell some flirting."  
  
"Please." Sakura muttered, "I'm the social outcast."  
  
Ran chuckled, "That's only because you hang out with me."  
  
"I am the example of a cheerleader fallen from grace." Sakura said   
with a mocking tone.  
  
Ran laughed.  
  
----  
Notes:   
1) Yes very OOC but wait, things will explain themselves eventually. ^^;;; Its hard to write a fic like this when you're dying to have Shaoran be a deus ex machina and say "Sakura I was wrong let's get back together." =P But that's what "Wait" is for. ^_- All other notes can be found at my fic site.   
  
Disclaimer:  
Harichan (Steph's voice of reason): wheee Steph hasn't written in a while!   
Steph: Yes, I'm so bad with titling fics, but oh well its the story that matters not the fic itself. C&C is most welcome (even emails with the subject line "You're nuts!" is okay ^_-)  
  
Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura belongs to Clamp and Kodansha, DNAngel belongs to Yukiru Sugisaki and Kadokawa. ^^ All other characters belong to me (in theory...) http://doki-doki.org/fanfic/ccs/shape/ - for a rants and such. 


	2. Warm the Heart

+++++  
  
Shape of the Heart - 2 - Warm the Heart  
  
Sakura sighed as she dropped her bags on the bed. She closed the   
window shivering at the cold room. "Next time close the window." she   
muttered as she pulled the curtains shut and crawled into sweats.   
She let her fingers walk along the edge of her corner desk to   
the "on" button on her computer. She flipped the switch just as she   
turned on her lamp.  
  
"Sakura!"  
  
"Haii~!" she called back.  
  
Kimiko popped her head in, she smiled at her, "We're going to eat   
at the cafeteria, come with us!"  
  
Sakura nodded, "Alright, my paper can wait." she grabbed her purse   
and a sweatshirt.  
  
"Of course! Of all of us you're the smartest!" Kimiko said with a   
smile, "I don't know how you can skip lecture and still turn in great   
papers."  
  
"I study I guess." Sakura said as she closed the apartment door   
behind Kimiko and their other roommate Yuri. "I have to maintain that   
scholarship anyways." she said with a smile.  
  
"My sister mentioned that your father had another great lecture on   
European sites of the middle ages." Yuri said.  
  
"He's really into that European middle ages sites thing isn't he?"  
Sakura shrugged, "Its his focus I guess."  
  
"What about you?" Kimiko asked as they walked down the path   
towards the dorm cafeteria.  
  
"Dunno." she said, "I guess I could do the same as my father." she   
said, "And I could try to do something with chemistry."  
  
"Chemistry!" Kimiko exclaimed with a face, "Ick! That's just a   
bunch of letters to me."  
  
Yuri chuckled, "Science was never your favorite subject. The   
closest thing to chemistry you'll get to is how much coffee will be   
needed for a party of 250."  
  
"So Hotel Management isn't brainy but its a decent major." Kimiko   
said with a fake hurt tone.  
  
"Hello girls!"  
  
"Daisuke!" Kimiko called with a wave.  
  
Sakura looked up to see the same guy from earlier today leaning   
against the wall near the cafeteria door.  
  
"I just lost my appetite." Sakura said as she turned away.  
  
"Awww Sakura, come and have some soup at least," Kimiko   
said, "Don't you eat anymore? You're always so skinny!" she wrapped   
her arms around Sakura's arm dragging her back to the door.  
Sakura sighed.  
  
"Sakura meet Niwa Daisuke." Kimiko said, "He joined the judo team   
but he was sidelined by an injury."  
  
Daisuke grinned at the girls and lifted his injured foot a   
little."I feel bad, I just transferred to the university too."  
  
"Its alright." Kimiko said as she hugged Daisuke.  
  
Yuri cleared her throat and extracted Kimiko from Daisuke and   
dragged her into the cafeteria, "Well I'm hungry and I know you are   
too Kimi-chan, let's go."  
  
Sakura followed them in, she felt Daisuke fall into step with her.  
"Sorry about earlier today." he said.  
  
"I wasn't having a good day."she said.  
  
"Funny, getting packages usually brings up my day."  
  
Sakura shrugged, "I'm not like most normal people." she walked   
into the cafeteria alone.  
  
Daisuke stayed behind. "Neither am I." he said with a small smile.  
  
++++++  
  
"So what do you think of Daisuke-kun?" Kimiko asked.  
  
"He's okay." Sakura said. "Very energetic, like you Kimi-chan."   
Sakura said tugging on Kimiko's cheek. "He's good for you."  
  
"Uuuuuuwah ugghhhh, bhaaaaaatttt heeeeeeee'd beeeee guuuuuud feer   
youuu" Kimiko said.  
  
"You say that about every guy you try to hook me up with." Sakura   
said with a smile.  
  
Yuri smiled. "So the coach told me that they'll be holding try   
outs next fall."  
  
Sakura let go of Kimiko's cheek, "Really?"  
  
"You should try out again." Yuri said.  
  
"I have studies-"  
  
"Sakura you skip out on lecture and you still do well." Yuri   
said, "You should rejoin. You're talented."  
  
Sakura swallowed the lump of food in her mouth, "Maybe." she said   
and took a sip of her soup. She wanted to wash down the food and   
prevent any other conversation.  
  
"I'm going to get some juice, I'll be back. Anybody want some?"   
Kimiko said.  
  
Sakura shook her head, Yuri gave Kimiko her cup. She watched as   
Kimiko threaded her way through the cafeteria and then turned back to   
Sakura, biting back a sigh. "The coach told me to tell you. I hope   
you understand that he really believes in you."  
  
"I know." she said, "I just-"  
  
"I know what happened Sakura, I was there, but you need to get   
back on the horse. Don't let this get to you."  
  
Sakura nodded. "I'll think about it."  
  
"Hey! Let's get some dessert!" Kimiko said.  
  
Yuri laughed, "All you think about is gymnastics and food."  
  
++++ 2 ++++  
  
Daisuke sat on the edge of the roof of the men's dorm building.   
He chuckled when guys in the next dorm looked through their fifth   
story window and gave him a crazy look. He was used to heights, he   
even preferred staying out at night. His roommate, Kentarou, was   
perfectly happy with the habit. Especially now that he had a new   
girlfriend.  
  
Daisuke sighed and looked up at the clear night sky. The stars   
shined like tiny jewels. He smiled, in a distant memory he   
remembered a night like this, running to meet someone he loved. He   
let his body fall back against the roof.  
  
"Riku..." he whispered, "Are you there? Don't be mad... but I met   
someone that reminds me of you. Well maybe not exactly you... but   
she's interesting."he smiled, "There's something about her that I   
can't put my finger on."  
  
He looked down at the people wandering around their dorms, "She   
can help me heal, she's a challenge."  
  
+++++  
  
Sakura woke up the next morning and stumbled into the common room   
looking for milk.  
  
"Hi!"  
  
Sakura's head snapped up, "Oh, you." she mumbled.  
  
"Not a morning person huh?" Daisuke asked.  
  
Sakura reached for her tea and a mug. She wiped the sleep from her   
eyes with a sleeve.  
  
Daisuke watched as Sakura made tea sleepily. She was cute! His   
eyes started from her feet up her bare legs to her giant sleep shirt   
and to her mussed up short hair. He was enjoying the situation even   
better.  
  
"So why are you here?" Sakura asked as she leaned against the   
counter. The tea pot was boiling away.  
  
"Kimiko and I have class together." he said with a smile.  
  
"Uuuuuuuuun." Sakura muttered as she put tea in her cup.  
  
He stood up and leaned against the counter top. "So..." he   
said, "When's your first class?"  
  
Sakura looked at the clock, "In an hour."  
  
"Ahh." he said. He opened his mouth to speak but was cut off by   
the kettle's whistle.  
  
Sakura poured the water into her cup and walked back to her room.  
  
"Interested in catching lunch with me and Kimiko?" he asked off   
handedly.  
  
Sakura turned to look at him, "I have plans with my friend Ran."   
she said and closed the door.  
  
Daisuke chuckled as he called after her, "Ouch! Rejected!"  
  
  
  
"Sakura-chann." Ran said in her mocking sing song voice.  
  
"Yes Ran?" Sakura asked as they left their lecture class.  
  
"Don't hurt me please." she said.  
  
Sakura sighed as she gave a sideways glance at Ran, "What is it   
this time?"  
  
Ran smiled sheepishly, "I was bamboozled."  
  
"What? Ran get to the point." she said in half laughter.  
  
"You'll see," she said as they walked towards the down town to   
grab lunch. She stopped infront of Sakura, "Just remember that I love   
you, you're my best best friend-"  
  
"Need a ride?" Daisuke called from the car that was parked next to   
them.  
  
"-and best friends don't kill each other." Ran said weakly.  
Sakura gave Ran the look of death, "No, they just save the torture   
for later."  
  
Ran looked pale. "He just came out of nowhere and sort of   
convinced me to take him with us." she shrugged, "He seemed really   
cool."  
  
"Well?" he asked, "I have no more class for the rest of the day,   
shall we hang out?"  
  
"Of course!" Ran said, "We can't turn down a ride."  
  
Sakura let herself be dragged into the car. She sat in the back   
while Ran sat in the front.  
  
Daisuke chuckled, "I know that feeling," he said, "I'll leave an   
open offer to drive you where ever you need." he said to Ran, "Both   
of you." he added looking over his shoulder at Sakura.  
  
Sakura turned her head to look out the window.  
------------------  
Notes:  
1) These will probably be edited, since I think Daisuke comes on too strong. ^_^; 


	3. Collision

III- Collision  
  
  
"Kinomoto-san." Daisuke said as he stood by the bench. "Waiting for   
Hasegawa- san?"  
  
"I was." she said. "But I think she's ditched me today."  
  
"Tut tut, what a friend."  
  
Sakura turned to Daisuke, "I think she went to class for once."  
  
"Ouch." Daisuke said as he sat down.  
  
"Niwa-san." Sakura said.  
  
"Yes?" he asked.  
  
"Just so you know... in case Yuri-san hasn't told you yet, I'm not   
interested." she sighed, "No matter what Kimi-chan wants to have you   
believe."  
  
Daisuke laughed, "I kind of guessed that." he said.  
  
"Oh." she said.  
  
"I just want to be your friend." he said.  
  
"Oh."  
  
"If you don't want-"  
  
"No." she said, "Sorry, its just that I've been through a lot."  
  
"Want to talk about it?" he asked.  
  
"Its hard to." she said.  
  
"Death?" he asked.  
  
Sakura paused, "You could say." she said.  
  
"Oh." he said, "So you like ice cream?"  
  
"Yes. What?" she asked surprised.  
  
"No its a bit cold for ice cream, crepes perhaps?"  
  
"Crepes are good." she said confused.  
  
"Good, I know a good place." he said, "Let's go." he got up from the   
bench and started to walk.  
  
"Uh..."  
  
"Oh, silly me, you have a class?" he asked as he turned around.  
  
"Not one I can't miss..." she said unsure.  
  
"Perfect. Let's go." he said.  
  
Sakura followed him curious.  
  
As they waked to the crepe place the curiosity ate at her.  
  
"So why aren't you going to ask me?"  
  
"Things like that should stay inside until its ready to come out." he   
said.  
  
Sakura nodded, "True."  
  
He shoved his hands into his pockets. "So what else do you like   
besides cutting class and crepes?"  
  
Sakura tucked a wayward strand of hair behind her ear, "I like   
sleeping." she said.  
  
"I could tell." he said, "Not a morning person are you?"  
  
She shook her head, "Not really. What about you?"  
  
He shrugged, "I get up in the morning."  
  
"Ah." she said.  
  
"Is that 'ah' as in 'ah he's weird' or 'ah' as in 'ah okay'?" he   
asked.  
  
"Uh... ah okay?" she asked back.  
  
He laughed, "All right I'll buy it." He pulled the door open. "We're   
here."  
  
Sakura smiled at the cute little shop. "Thank you."  
  
Daisuke smiled at her, "You're welcome."  
  
+++++  
  
Sakura sighed as she walked into the apartment. She had spent another   
day with Daisuke, he ran into her and convinced her to go wander   
around the campus with him. He insisted on paying for lunch. Later   
that day Sakura insisted that she pay for tea at the cafe. Daisuke   
laughed and said, 'All right but just for that you have to come with   
me to...' which resulted in spending a day wandering around the   
university galleries. Sakura enjoyed running around the galleries and   
looking at paintings. She found that they both had the same taste in   
art (or the lack of taste as Daisuke insisted).  
  
Never the less it was a nice day and it was well spent. They spent   
some time in front of a painting that was painted by a former   
graduate years ago.  
  
'You like it?' he asked.  
  
'Yes.' Sakura said as she looked up at the painting.  
  
'I like it too, my family loves this style of art.' he said as he   
admired the painting. It had a person hidden by the fall of feathers   
and wings. His hair could be seen amongst the feathers.  
  
'What's your family like?' she asked.  
  
'Well...' Daisuke said as he looked at the painting, 'I have a   
grandfather, a father, and a mother.'  
  
'No brothers or sisters?'  
  
'None.' he said. 'You?' he asked.  
  
'I have a father and a brother.' /and an ancestor.../ she mentally   
added.  
  
'Older brother?' he asked.  
  
'Yes.' Sakura said.  
  
'Lucky guess.' Daisuke said as he turned to smile at her, 'Let's go?'  
  
-----  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Kimiko said as she bounced towards her breaking her   
thoughts.  
  
"Hi Kimi-chan." Sakura said as she walked towards her room.  
  
"We got invited to dinner!"  
  
"With who?" Sakura asked half afraid that it was Daisuke. She   
stopped, /Why should I be afraid?/ she thought, /He's not as bad as I   
thought./  
  
"Yuri-chan!" Kimiko said.  
  
Sakura smiled with relief.  
  
Behind Kimiko Yuri smiled as she popped her head out of the other   
room. She gave Sakura a 'please come with me' look.  
  
"My homework can wait I guess." Sakura said.  
  
"Waiii!" Kimiko said as she clapped.  
  
Behind Kimiko Yuri put her hands together in prayer and mouthed the   
word, 'Thank you...'  
  
"Where are we going?" Sakura asked.  
  
"French!" Kimiko exclaimed.  
  
"Need I remind you who's paying?" Yuri smiled as she stepped out of   
the room. Sakura smiled at her old roommate.  
  
Kimiko turned to Yuri, "Oh."  
  
Yuri smiled, "Of course we'll go."  
  
Sakura smiled, she understood the signs of a special friendship. In   
many ways Yuri reminded her of Tomoyo.  
  
They walked to the restaurant, Kimiko walking ahead of them. "Yuri!   
I'm going to get the table alright?"  
  
Yuri nodded.  
  
Sakura smiled as she turned to Yuri, "One of those days?"  
  
Yuri nodded some more.  
  
Sakura smiled, "No wonder you asked me to come along."  
  
Yuri sighed as she looked at Kimiko who had just opened the door. "I   
swear she's so blind."  
  
"Sometimes its like that, especially since you refuse to let on any   
feelings." Sakura said.  
  
Yuri nodded, "I just don't think she's even able to deal with the   
concept, but I love seeing her so happy. It makes me happy enough to   
know that I can make her happy."  
  
Sakura smiled.  
  
"So what about you and Daisuke?" Yuri asked.  
  
"What about me and Daisuke." Sakura asked back.  
  
"I saw you walking home with him."  
  
"We were talking." Sakura said. "He's not that bad. We've both been   
through some stuff." she said.  
  
"Like death?" Yuri asked.  
  
"Alright." Sakura said, "I lied a bit, but I do feel that way."  
  
They stood outside of the restaurant. "Sakura." Yuri said, "I usually   
don't say anything, but when are you going to realize that sometimes   
you have to let go?"  
  
"Fine words coming from someone that secretly pines for her   
roommate." Sakura said.  
  
Yuri laughed.  
  
"Hey!" Kimiko said as she popped her head out, her brown hair   
swinging from its ponytail, "Are you coming in? The table is ready."  
  
+++++  
  
Daisuke smiled as he returned back to his dorm and tossed his keys   
onto his desk. Kentaro was out, probably with his girlfriend. He sat   
down in his desk chair and leaned back his arms behind his head.  
Sakura was slowly opening up, which was good.  
  
"Riku..." he said, "She's like me, she had a death in her life. I   
wonder if it was her mother..."  
  
"Why do I want to get to know her so much?" he asked himself as he   
flipped on his computer.  
  
They had spent a nice day together. Sakura was slowly letting him see   
more than just her thorny side. And he had someone that appreciated   
art as much as he did. She admitted that her art choice was more   
music but she agreed to go along and look at paintings. She was even   
patient enough to let him stop and look at certain paintings.   
Especially one that hung in the back of the gallery.  
  
/That painting./  
  
Daisuke was startled.  
  
/That's a Hikari painting./ the voice went on.  
  
"No." Daisuke said.  
  
/I want that painting./  
  
/Just when I thought I had a normal life.../ Daisuke thought.  
  
/You should have learned by now that Niwa lives are hardly normal./   
Dark said with a chuckle.  
  
+++++  
  
"Sakura-chan!"  
  
"To-Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura exclaimed.  
  
Tomoyo hugged Sakura around the neck.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Sakura asked.  
  
"I wanted to surprise you, we have a small break between semesters."   
Tomoyo said.  
  
"Sakura?" Ran called as she left the apartment.  
  
"Ran! This is Tomoyo." she turned to Tomoyo, "This is Ran."  
  
Ran smiled and bowed, "Shinohara Ran." she said. "Sakura has told me   
much about you."  
  
"Daidouji Tomoyo." Tomoyo said. "I'm afraid Sakura doesn't tell me   
much about her current life. Oh! I brought someone along with me."   
she said as she turned to Sakura, "He's waiting patiently in the car."  
  
"Oh really?" Sakura said weakly.  
  
Tomoyo smiled, "Yes, we'll go get some dinner and meet him."  
  
"If you want to cancel tonight's plans-" Ran said.  
  
"No!" Sakura exclaimed, she quickly lowered her voice and turned to   
Tomoyo, "I'm sorry but this is such short notice."  
  
Tomoyo nodded, "I know... we'll see you tomorrow? Is that okay?"  
  
Sakura nodded. "Thank you."  
  
Tomoyo hugged Sakura, "I missed you." she whispered and climbed back   
into the car that waited for her.  
  
Ran watched as Tomoyo left and whistled. "So that's the daughter of   
the toy company."  
  
Sakura nodded. "I'm sorry if I didn't tell her much about you. I-"  
  
"Its alright." Ran said, "Though I do feel jealous." she said. "She's   
your closest, oldest friend."  
  
Sakura smiled at Ran, "But you understand me better than her now."  
  
Ran nodded. "Let's go eat shall we?"  
  
+++++  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo called as Sakura made her way across the hotel   
lobby.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan." Sakura said with a smile.  
  
"Come up to the room with me." she said as she pulled out her key   
from her purse. "Your father sends his love and some things as   
usual." she pushed the elevator button open.  
  
"You didn't-"  
  
"Oh but I wanted to." Tomoyo said as the doors opened.  
  
"Ahhh." Sakura said as they stepped on.  
  
The doors closed. Tomoyo turned to Sakura, "Your brother threatens to   
drag you home again."  
  
Sakura looked down at the ground and began to trace the pattern in   
the carpet.  
  
"But he understands that you need your time and space." she said.  
  
"That's good." Sakura said with a sigh.  
  
The doors opened again and Tomoyo stepped off, Sakura followed   
her, "My mother sends her love as usual."  
  
"As usual." Sakura repeated remembering Sonomi Daidouji's love for   
Nadeshiko's little daughter.  
  
"And he insisted on coming." Tomoyo said as she opened the door and   
let Sakura through first.  
  
"Sakura!" Kerochan exclaimed as he launched himself at her.  
  
"Kerochan!" Sakura exclaimed as she hugged her guardian.  
  
"Your father sent food!"  
  
"Which you ate I bet." Sakura said as she sat down at the table. As   
usual Tomoyo had thought ahead and ordered room service.  
  
"Well..."  
  
Sakura smiled, "Was it good?"  
  
"Of course!"  
  
"A ha!" Sakura exclaimed. "I knew you ate oto-san's food."  
  
"Hey!" Kerochan exclaimed, "No fair! I was tricked."  
  
Tomoyo laughed.  
  
A few minutes later they were eating in happy silence.  
  
"Ne... Sakura-chan." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Hmmm?" Sakura asked as she sipped some tea.  
  
"Hasegawa-san..."  
  
"Ran?" Sakura said.  
  
"She's not your..." Tomoyo let it trail off.  
  
"My..." Sakura said suddenly her eyes widened, "She's my friend." she   
said.  
  
"Ah," Tomoyo said with a nod.  
  
"What about you?" Sakura said.  
  
"I met someone." Tomoyo said, "She's quite nice. She's quite   
talented, rumor has it she made the head of Clamp Campus search   
everywhere for a Valentines gift when they were in elementary   
school." Tomoyo said.  
  
Sakura wondered once again what went on for normal at Clamp Campus.   
How could someone do that to the head of Clamp Campus?  
  
"Can I meet Hasegawa-san?" Tomoyo asked. "You rarely talk about your   
life here... I want to meet her and see Yuri again."  
  
Sakura nodded. "I'll ask her."  
  
+++++  
  
"Penny for your thoughts?"  
  
Sakura looked up to see Daisuke standing at the bench again. She   
wondered if he tracked her habits but brushed the thought aside.  
  
"What?" she asked confused.  
  
"Its an American expression, I don't know what significance it means,   
but I see it on tv sometimes and the other person always replies with   
what's on their mind." Daisuke said as he sat down. "Something   
bothering you?"  
  
"Sort of." she said. She turned to him, "My best friend came by for a   
visit and she wants to meet Ran."  
  
"Ahhh the old friend meets the new friend." Daisuke said.  
  
Sakura nodded. "My life has changed so much since Sh- well since   
three years ago." she said, "Tomoyo-chan has been kept in the dark   
about some things."  
  
"Things that Ran knows."  
  
Sakura nodded.  
  
He laughed, "Oh man I can see it now." he said.  
  
"Its not funny!" Sakura exclaimed.  
  
Daisuke kept laughing, "But it is." he said. "I wouldn't want to be   
in your shoes when it happens."  
  
Sakura turned back to the lake and crossed her arms, "Some friend you   
make."  
  
"Am I really?" he asked suddenly the laughter was gone.  
  
She turned to him, "Well I think we are. Is that all right?"  
  
He smiled, "Of course it is." he gave her a pat on the shoulder, "I   
really feel for you." he said, "If my friends back home saw my life   
now they'd be very surprised."  
  
"You changed too?"  
  
He nodded, "Well I wanted to restart my life you could say, friends   
back home remind me of the crazy life I used to have. Having them   
come to visit me would be like re-living the past."  
  
"I understand." she said. /A normal life./  
  
/A normal life./ Daisuke thought with a mental sigh.  
  
/I thought you liked having me around./ Dark said.  
  
/Not when I think I'm a normal person./ Daisuke said.  
  
/Really Daisuke, I'm so hurt./ Dark said with a chuckle. /Need I   
remind you once again that Niwa lives are anything but normal?/  
  
"Niwa-san?" Sakura asked.  
  
He smiled at her, "Do you think we can call each other less formal   
names?"  
  
She hesitated.  
  
"Sakura-chan?" he asked, "That's too Kimi-chan."  
  
Sakura smiled.  
  
"Sakura-san." she said. "A friend used to call me that."  
  
He nodded, "Sakura-san it is then. Call me Daisuke-san at least, I   
don't feel old enough for Niwa-san."  
  
Sakura chuckled.  
  
Daisuke smiled at her laugh. Things were looking up.  
  
============  
  
notes:   
1) Not much action, just prodding the plot along ^_^;;  
2) Dark appears! yay! ^^ Tomoyo and Kerochan appears! yay!  
3) Um I don't know if the characters (esp Daisuke) are staying with   
in character, comments about this would be nice, oh well...  
4) yes there's a bit of a shoujo ai! It just happened that way, the   
story seems to write itself these days. ^^;;   
5) links to the series and to previous chapters can be found here:   
http://doki-doki.org/fanfic/ccs/shape/ (incl. links and what not   
about the characters)


	4. Nightwalking

IV- Nightwalking  
------------------  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo called as Sakura and Ran walked across the quad   
towards Tomoyo, who stood in front of a car. Beside her stood the   
four bodyguards.  
  
"Body guards?" Ran asked.  
  
Sakura sighed, "Her mother's work. Tomoyo is the precious daughter of   
Sonomi Daidouji."  
  
"I remember." Ran said with a wry smile.  
  
Tomoyo reached for Sakura's hand as they neared.  
  
"I've been waiting all day to talk to you!" she exclaimed. She turned   
to Ran and bowed. "Shall we?"  
  
+++++  
  
Sakura wanted to scream. Dinner was not going well at all. In fact   
it was a classic nightmare. Tomoyo and Ran sat on either side of her   
and they both were having a war of words. The main subject was   
pretty much Sakura's life. It started with what they were going to   
order. Tomoyo reminded Sakura how much she loved sushi while Ran   
replied that Sakura had a taste for udon. Sakura ended up ordering   
udon.  
  
It went downhill after that. Sakura could just see the Ran versus   
Tomoyo score board above their heads, lit up with little lights and   
dinging as each side won a point.  
  
"I know Sakura quit gymnastics, but she's so great at athletics."   
Tomoyo said.  
  
"Well-" Ran began to say.  
  
/Enough!/ Sakura placed her hands on the table on either side of her   
bowl.  
  
Both stopped.  
  
"I had to deal with this with Onii-chan and Shaoran. Don't make me   
not talk to the both of you." she said. "I am not getting involved.   
Don't make me be the referee." she said as she stood up and walked in   
to the bathroom.  
  
Sakura sighed as she sank down towards the ground in the bathroom   
stall. Ran and Tomoyo were not getting along, Kerochan was still   
hidden in Tomoyo's purse taking pieces of teriyaki. She was afraid   
to leave the bathroom and find Tomoyo and Ran throwing sushi at each   
other.  
  
"I should have picked a ramen cart." she muttered, "Less to clean up."  
  
"Its because they love you." a voice whispered.  
  
"I know that." she replied. She stopped and realized that either her   
conscious had found a voice and was talking to her or it was-  
  
"Kerochan!" she exclaimed.  
  
Kerochan climbed out of her purse and sat on her lap."Its been a   
while Sakura." he said.  
  
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you I couldn't deal with things at   
the time... I just wanted to get away." she said as she rose her   
knees to her chest. Kerochan sat on her knees so that they were face   
to face. "Everything reminded me of him." she whispered. Old tears   
threatened to surface past her eyelashes again.  
  
"Its alright." he said, "I knew you'd be ready to see us again."  
  
"I missed you." she whispered as she reached a finger to poke him.  
Kerochan giggled. "Me too."  
  
Sakura sighed, "I guess we should head out and see what damage they   
caused, ne?"  
  
He nodded, "Then we can get dessert."  
  
"That depends on the state of the restaurant." she said.  
  
Suddenly a scream ripped through the building. Sakura looked up at   
the ceiling, "I was kidding about Tomoyo and Ran fighting." She   
quickly got up and burst into the restaurant to see it in a mess.   
Tables were tossed every which way. It looked like someone had made   
an escape path from the garden door to the main exit of the   
restaurant. A path ten feet wide was cleared.  
  
"Ran! Tomoyo!" Sakura called.  
  
"Sakura! Over here!" Ran called.  
  
"Oh Sakura-chan! You should have seen it! He just zoomed by!"  
  
Sakura glanced at the garden door, or where it used to be. Glass was   
everywhere.  
  
"Zoomed by?" she repeated. "You mean you two didn't cause this?"  
  
Ran laughed, "Sakura, you're cute, Tomoyo-san and I may not agree on   
things, but we didn't cause this."  
  
Tomoyo smiled, "Besides, five minutes after you escaped to the   
bathroom, we called a truce." she said.  
  
"Oh," was all Sakura could say. 'Thank god.'  
  
"However..." Ran said as they waited for the police to come. "The way   
he burst through the door was amazing. He flew by on black wings."  
  
"Black wings?" Sakura repeated. She was still in shock over the state   
of the restaurant.  
  
"Yes." Ran said, "He reminded me of the news reports I used to see   
when I was younger, I don't remember, it was at least five years ago."  
  
"Interesting." Tomoyo said.  
  
They couldn't say any more on the subject, the police had arrived and   
begun a round of questions.  
  
"Sakura..." Tomoyo said later that night. They were sitting on   
Tomoyo's bed in the hotel room. Kerochan was munching on a   
takoyaki. "Kerochan said he sensed something."  
  
Sakura turned to Kerochan, "Oh?"  
  
Kerochan nodded, his face smudged with sauce, "I felt a change in the   
air, like as if magic was being used."  
  
"I didn't feel it." Sakura said.  
  
"Its no magic you're used to." Kerochan said. "I think it happened   
around the time of the robbery."  
  
"Kerochan and I thought that the thief may be magical." Tomoyo said.  
  
"And?" Sakura did not like what they were implying.  
  
"If he is magical, then you should help to-"  
  
"The answer is no." Sakura said.  
  
"But Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed.  
  
"No." Sakura said again. "I stopped using the Clow Cards three years   
ago." she said. "I want a normal life. I can't use them now, not when   
I have midterms, and some guy harassing me."  
  
Tomoyo smirked as if to say /I'll talk to you about the guy later.../   
and then looked at Kerochan with a sigh.  
  
"Sakura." Kerochan said slowly, "Think about this, please." he   
said, "The university will suffer if they lose more paintings."  
  
"Sakura-chan you're the only person that can stop the thief." Tomoyo   
said.  
  
"The answer is still no." Sakura said, crossing her arms.  
  
++++++  
  
Sakura sighed, "Why can't it be the police? I'm no longer a Card   
Captor." she said, "I thought I didn't need to use the cards since   
the battle with Eriol."  
  
Tomoyo walked up to Sakura and smiled softly, "You know that you're   
probably the only one that can stand a chance." she said, "Three   
paintings, all valued highly by the university." she held out the   
Clow book and the key.  
  
Sakura picked the key up and just stared at it. She turned to   
Kerochan, "Can you remember feeling any traces of magic during the   
time the paintings were stolen."  
  
"I'll try to remember if the magical feeling I felt was around then."   
Kerochan said as he sat on Sakura's desk.   
  
Sakura rubbed her temples, "This can't happen, not during midterms."   
she muttered.  
  
"Sakura?" Ran called through the door.  
  
Sakura opened the door.  
  
"Ran, I want you to meet someone." she said as she sat down at her   
desk chair.  
  
"Who?" Ran asked as she looked around the room. "Sakura why are you   
in that get up? I never thought vinyl was your thing."  
  
"Me!" Kerochan exclaimed.  
  
Ran looked at Kerochan, "Sakura that plushie just talked."  
  
"Of course!" he said, "I'm Kerochan, nice to meet 'ya!"  
  
"Oh..." was all Ran said and then fainted.  
  
Sakura caught Ran before she hit the ground and sighed, "Well that   
went over well."  
  
+++++  
  
Sakura sat on the roof of the music building, which was situated   
right across the quad from the art building. It gave her a good view   
of the main corridor that led to the gallery.  
  
When was the last time she did something like this? She was at least   
twelve. Those days seemed like a distant memory, a different life,   
but chanting the spell to release her key was so easy as if she did   
only yesterday. She flew her way to the roof of the music building   
reluctant to dispell the wings. The feeling of flying was so good.  
  
"I forgot what it felt like to fly." she said with a small smile.  
  
"And you forgot what it felt like to use magic." a voice said next to   
her.  
  
Sakura looked down at Kerochan with a smile, "Yes, I know." she   
looked back at the art building, "I remember everything, how to do   
it, how easy it was. I never forgot that. I just locked the memories   
away it seemed."  
  
"I think you're beginning to heal." he said.  
  
Sakura drew her knees to her chest. Tomoyo was so excited about   
Sakura out in costume again, Sakura insisted that she stay in the   
dorm with Ran. This was something she needed to do alone. Tomoyo   
felt a little put out, she knew it would be great material for her   
film theory class. Sakura wondered once again what they took for   
normal in Clamp Campus.  
  
Ran was a dear, she took Sakura aside and said, "I don't understand   
all this card business."  
  
Sakura bowed her head, even after a small demonstration of what the   
cards could do Ran was still skeptical.  
  
"But for the first time I'm seeing the missing part of you." Ran   
said, "And I support whatever direction you want to take with it."  
Sakura smiled at Ran, she hugged her. "Thank you." Sakura whispered.  
  
"Oooof!" Ran exclaimed.  
  
"Promise me one thing." Sakura said in her ear.  
  
"Yes?" Ran asked.  
  
"Never make me a costume, one is enough."  
  
Ran laughed, "I hate vinyl."  
  
Sakura smiled as she remembered how Ran kept Tomoyo company. "Tell me   
about Sakura when she was little." Ran said as she reached for a bag   
of cookies. She winked at Sakura as Sakura ducked out of the window   
to catch the thief.  
  
"Bless you Ran." Sakura whispered.  
  
"Sakura... I think there's something going on down there." Kerochan   
said.  
  
Sakura looked down and saw movement along the corridors of the art   
building. A shadow was swiftly heading towards the gallery wing.  
Sakura stood and took a deep breath, "Alright... here goes." she   
whispered, she let the wand spin in her hands as she pulled out a   
card and said, "Jump!" The next thing she knew she was off chasing   
after the shadow that she knew was the legendary thief named Dark   
Mousy.  
  
++++++  
  
Dark slipped into the gallery. He ignored all the other paintings   
that hung around him. He wanted the one that hung in the back of the   
room just as Daisuke had seen when he and Sakura had toured the art   
building.  
  
/She's nice./ Daisuke said in the back of his mind.  
  
"I can tell." Dark said as he tried to figure out a way to get the   
painting down with out making a mess.  
  
/I think I'm getting to her./ Daisuke said as Dark carefully took the   
painting off the wall and set it on the ground. /She reminds me of me   
when I lost Riku.../  
  
"I think she's what you need." Dark said as he carefully pulled the   
frame off the canvas.  
  
"Stop right there!"  
  
Dark looked up to see a woman standing in the dark, silhouetted by   
the moonlight that came from behind her through the open gallery door.  
  
"Or else what?" Dark asked as he popped the frame free.  
  
"I don't know." she said, "It usually works in mahou shoujo manga."  
  
He laughed, "Well... I want this painting and you're here to stop me.   
So now what?"  
  
She walked forward with a wand and said "Windy!"  
  
Dark felt the painting being ripped from his grasp. It fell neatly   
into her hands. She sighed with relief. "That was easier than I   
thought."  
  
Dark chuckled, "For now." he walked up to her and grabbed her   
hand, "But I will come back for that painting. Try to catch me then."  
  
"You aren't going to put up a fight?" she asked bewildered.  
  
He walked away from her, his arms behind his head, "No." he said.  
  
"No?"  
  
"You amuse me." he said, "I like where this is going." he looked at   
her out of the corner of his eyes, "Besides, you're quite a looker."  
  
He could hear her gasp and whisper, "Ecchi!" he chuckled.  
  
"Tell you what." he said, "I'll let you go... if you let me look at   
you under the mask."  
  
"And then turn me in?" she said, "I have enough trouble trying to   
hide the cards."  
  
"I could try to get that painting out of your hands." he said, "Its   
not that hard."  
  
"Why do you want this painting?" she asked.  
  
"Family issues." he said, "Not to get into too much detail, its a   
family rivalry and I steal the paintings."  
  
"Ahh..." she said.  
  
"The mask or the painting." he said. "I promise I won't tell."  
  
"You won't tell?"  
  
"Don't do it!"  
  
Dark looked down to see a little yellow bear with wings at her side.  
  
"But the painting."  
  
"I don't trust him." the yellow bear said.  
  
Dark blinked, who would have thought that another magical creature   
would exist? And this one spoke Osaka ben!  
  
"Kero-chan if it means the painting is safe I'll do it." she said.  
  
"Not safe." he said, "Just temporarily safe."  
  
She looked at him, "You won't tell?" she asked.  
  
"No." he said, "I like you."  
  
She stepped forward, into a pool of moonlight that spilled from one   
of the upper windows of the gallery. She reached for the mask and   
sighed. "You promise not to take the painting?"  
  
"Of course." he said.  
  
She reached for her mask again, as she pulled it off the alarm went   
off.  
  
"Crap!" he said.  
  
"Jump!"  
  
She disappeared. No she jumped away from him and was on the second   
floor of the art building. "Gomen ne!" she said, "But I have to save   
this painting and my identity." she said. "I would suggest leaving   
now before they catch you."  
  
He chuckled. "I never get caught. You win this time," he called up at   
her, "but next time the mask goes off!"  
  
She laughed, "We'll see." and she disappeared.  
  
----------------------  
  
Notes: (aka Steph's rambling)  
1) Now things get interesting. ^_^ I always guessed Tomoyo would be   
rather possessive over Sakura. Especially when she "chooses" who   
Sakura could go to. Tomoyo is learning to deal with the fact that   
she may never know all of Sakura. ^^;;  
2) Not a bad exchange between Sakura and Dark right? Its obvious to   
us that its Sakura parading as a mahou shoujo (magical girl) ^_- but   
its not to Dark, so things get interesting there.  
3) doki-doki.org/fanfic/ccs/shape/ ~ notes 


	5. Confusion

V - Confusion  
  
Sakura slipped back into the room.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed. "How did it go?"  
  
Sakura smiled, "Well... I guess."  
  
"You guess?"  
  
Sakura pulled the mask off and sighed, "I got the painting back and left it in a safe place."  
  
"But?" Tomoyo asked as she settled back down on the bed.  
  
"This thief is making it hard for me." Sakura said as she sat on the edge of the bed and slipped  
her costume off.  
  
"How so? You're the most powerful mage I know."  
  
Kerochan sat on the bed, "The next time he sees her and she succeeds to take back what he  
stole, she has to take off the mask."  
  
Sakura put the costume on a hanger and then hid it in the back of her closet.  
  
"Ohhh. I see." Tomoyo said.  
  
Sakura pulled on pajamas and then sat down on the bed next to Tomoyo. "Ran?"  
  
"Ran-san went home." Tomoyo said. "She said you would have wanted some time to talk about   
the thief and magic."  
  
Sakura smiled.  
  
Tomoyo smiled back, "She's very nice, and," she placed a hand on Sakura's shoulder, "very  
good for you."  
  
Sakura nearly beamed, it was the closest thing to acceptance Tomoyo had ever expressed  
about Ran.  
  
"So..." Tomoyo said as she wrapped her arms around a pillow, "tell me about this guy."  
  
Sakura paused for a moment, "What guy?"  
  
"Sakura-chan don't try to lie, I know you well." Tomoyo said.  
  
Sakura sighed, "Daisuke-san, you mean?"  
  
"Daisuke? Cute name." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Yes, well..."  
  
"Is he cute?"  
  
Sakura felt herself blush, "N-no."  
  
"In Sakura terms that means yes." Tomoyo said as she found Sakura's brush and began to  
brush her hair.  
  
Sakura looked down at her hands. "You know that I can't bring myself to..." she trailed off.  
  
Tomoyo stopped brushing, "Sometimes..." she took a breath, "... sometimes you don't have a   
choice."  
  
"Not if I can help it." Sakura said, "I loved him Tomoyo-chan, I loved him!"  
  
Tomoyo smiled sadly, "You don't know how long I've wished that you two found a way to get   
back together."  
  
Sakura brought her knees to her chest, "Its too late." she whispered.  
  
------  
  
"Mask for a painting?"  
  
She turned around, "Oh!" she looked back down at the paintings. "How did- I don't-"  
  
"You don't do this often do you?" he asked.  
  
"No." she said. "I'm used to catching magic not people."  
  
Dark stood there with the canvas rolled up and strapped to his back.  
  
"Why do you steal those paintings anyways?" she asked.  
  
"I'd say its a family rivalry but that doesn't begin to scratch the surface." he said.  
  
"Ahh." she said.  
  
"What about you?"  
  
She pulled out a card, "These are clow cards." she said. "I can control them and use their  
magic."  
  
"Nice." he said with a low whistle. "So what can I call you? You know who I am I bet." he said  
with a lopsided grin.  
  
She blinked and then shrugged, "I guess you can call me the Clow Card Mistress, since that's  
what it is to have control of the cards. My guardians call me that."  
  
He nodded. "Guardians?"  
  
She nodded. "I have two."  
  
/Interesting./ Daisuke said.  
  
/Magic that is far stronger than mine./ Dark said.  
  
/You aren't planning to steal those cards are you?/  
  
/And face the wrath of her guadians? I think not. I may be a great thief but great thieves know  
what their limits are./  
  
Daisuke chuckled, /This is very interesting coming from you./  
  
"Well, since I have the painting, I will be off." he said as he stood up.  
  
She stood up, "Ma-matte!" she exclaimed.  
  
He turned, "This time you were too slow." he said. He walked to a window, pushed the panes  
open and threw himself out the window.  
  
She ran to the window and looked down.  
  
"You need to be faster." Dark grinned from his place in the sky.  
  
She looked up at him, her hair ruffling in the breeze With's wings were creating, her lips parted.  
She put her foot on the sill of the window.  
  
"H-hey!" Dark exclaimed, "Wait! I-"  
  
She jumped out the window and said, "Fly!" wings immediately unfurled themselves as she  
raced up to meet him. Her costume which was a beautiful dress with ribbons, trailed behind   
her as she rushed to meet him.  
  
"With let's go." he said.  
  
With complied and he flew away as fast as he could.  
  
Daisuke laughed, "Well, I think you met your match."  
  
/And a woman too./ Dark said.  
  
"Well..." Daisuke said, "someone humbling Dark Mousy?"  
  
/Don't get too cocky./ Dark muttered.  
  
-----  
  
"Niwa-san?"  
  
Daisuke turned to see a beautiful woman with long blue-black hair. She smiled at him with a  
pleasant look on her face. She stood at the cafe entrance as if uncertain she had found the   
right person.  
  
"Daidouji-san?" he asked.  
  
She nodded and then smiled. She was dressed in a long skirt, a blouse with ruffled cuffs and  
collar. He noticed that her shoes matched her purse. He felt slightly underdressed compared   
to the matching Tomoyo.  
  
He was surprised when he received a phone call asking him to tea. Tomoyo sounded so nice  
on the phone. She explained that she wanted to meet Sakura's friends. Daisuke agreed to   
meet out of curiosity. Sakura rarely talked about her childhood.  
  
Daisuke smiled and bowed, "Niwa Daisuke." he said.  
  
Tomoyo beamed, "Daidouji Tomoyo." she said as she bowed. "I hope you don't mind the short  
notice, I wanted to meet you, and Sakura has been keeping her friends a secret."  
  
Daisuke smiled, "That is understandable." he said as they followed the hostess to an empty  
table.  
  
Tomoyo smiled as they sat down at the table. "Sakura does not know that I am out with you."  
she said.  
  
"It is our secret then." he smiled a thanks to the waitress who gave them their menus.  
  
/So this is the old friend./ Dark said.  
  
/Yes. She's quite a happy girl isn't she?/ Daisuke said.  
  
/Ummm she's staring at you./  
  
Daisuke looked up from his menu to see Tomoyo looking at him. Her eyes seemed to drill   
holes into him. If it weren't for her calm and happy demeanor he would have thought it was  
creepy. He stared back at her. She smiled gave a nod and then looked down at her menu.  
  
/That was strange./ Dark said. /Do you think she can see me?/  
  
/She's not magical. Not that I know, I can't tell but she seems very ordinary./ Daisuke said a bit  
shaken by her stare.  
  
/She seemed to be sizing up something./ Dark said.  
  
Daisuke smiled. "So..." he said as he browsed the menu, "Tell me about Sakura-san."  
  
"Oh! I haven't heard anybody call her by that name since-" she stopped and smiled,   
"Sakura-chan was so cute when she was little." she said as she pulled out a picture.  
  
"Oh." Daisuke said as he looked at the picture, "I agree."  
  
"She loved making friends, nobody was lost to her charms. Sakura-chan was very good at  
anything athletic," Tomoyo said. "I was surprised when she quit the team."  
  
"Yes." Daisuke said, "Kimi-chan said the same. She said that Sakura-san had a lot of talent."  
  
"You could say that her talent was nearly magical." Tomoyo said with a smile.  
  
"I wonder why she quit." Daisuke said.  
  
Tomoyo turned a page in her menu, "Well, I'm not allowed to say." she said as she winked at   
him.  
  
"Oh. I guess its related to the death." he said.  
  
Tomoyo turned another page, "Yes." she said. "It was very hard on her." She closed her menu  
and said, "Well I'm ready to order."  
  
Daisuke felt as if he was being tested. He felt as if he was under a lot of scrutiny as he ordered  
or said something. He felt uncomfortable, but at the same time when she smiled at him he felt  
as if he was over reacting.  
  
"So..." Tomoyo said as they finished their meals. "What do you think of Sakura-chan?"  
  
"She's really nice." Daisuke said. He chuckled, "We started off on the wrong foot. At first she  
would ignore me and show her thorny side, but later we both became friends."  
  
Tomoyo smiled, "I'm glad."  
  
Daisuke looked up at her, he blinked. She was smiling straight at him.  
  
/Huh./ Dark said, /Its as if you passed./  
  
Daisuke looked down at the desert menu, "Yes... well... we both found we had something in  
common."  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "I see." she looked up at the waitress and said, "I'll have two slices of   
chocolate cake, one boxed."  
  
Daisuke ordered ice cream.  
  
"Saving some for Sakura-san?"  
  
Tomoyo shook her head, "No, its for a friend, he loves cake."  
  
"Ahh I see." he said.  
  
She smiled at him, "So what's your major?"  
  
Daisuke smiled, "Art history." he said.  
  
"Oh very nice." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Its not very practical." he said with a shrug.  
  
"But its what you want to do right?"  
  
He nodded. "So I decided to take whatever business courses I could find."  
  
Tomoyo smiled, "That's a practical way of doing what you love."  
  
He smiled and then thanked the waitress as she left their deserts.  
  
"Her father enjoys talking about ancient things too." she said as she ate her cake. "Has she  
mentioned her father yet?"  
  
"No yet." he said.  
  
"Oh! Ooops." she said a she covered her mouth. She smiled at him, "Let's keep that a secret  
then."  
  
He nodded.  
  
Tomoyo snatched the check from under his nose, "And I'll take this." she gave the waitress  
some money and shooed her away.  
  
"Hey!" he exclaimed.  
  
She smiled, "Consider it a gift," she said as she stood up and took the boxed cake. She  
looked at her watch, "Oh! Sakura-chan will be getting out class."  
  
"A gift?"  
  
She turned to him, "For being her friend. Sakura-chan values friendship very much."  
  
"But I-"  
  
She turned to him with a smile and said, "Really Niwa-san," she said as she wagged a finger at  
him with a wink, "I mean it," her eyes turned serious as she turned to face him, "I haven't seen   
her like this in years." they stepped out of the cafe and onto the sidewalk.  
  
She looked up and down the street and then sighed a bit, her eyes losing its playful look.  
  
"Daidouji-san?" he asked suddenly concerned.  
  
She turned to him with a small smile, "I hope..." she stopped.  
  
"Hope?"  
  
"Ojousama." a suited lady said as she stepped out of a car, she bowed to Daisuke. He bowed   
back.  
  
Tomoyo stepped towards the car.  
  
"Daidouji-san!" Daisuke exclaimed, "Wait!"  
  
She turned to him with a smile, "I hope... well let's just leave it at that." she said as she got into  
the car.  
  
"Hope what? Daidouji-san! Wait-"  
  
The suited lady bowed to Daisuke and got into the car.  
  
"what do you mean hope?" Daisuke said to himself as he watched the car drive off.  
  
For once Dark said nothing.  
  
----  
  
"Sakura-chan!"  
  
Sakura turned to see Tomoyo waving at her from the sidewalk.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan!" Sakura said as she met with Tomoyo. "I thought we were supposed to meet  
later."  
  
"I wish I could," she said, "but Okaa-sama wants me to come home."  
  
"Oh..." Sakura said with a bit of disappointment. She had almost settled into a feeling of  
happiness. "Toy company things?"  
  
Tomoyo nodded. "Yes." she said, she made a face. "I will try to come back soon."  
  
Sakura nodded, "Yes, I miss you." she said as she hugged her friend.  
  
Tomoyo hugged Sakura back and said, "But I leave Kerochan with you, now that you're back  
into business." she gave Sakura a box and a bag. "He's asleep." she said with a whisper.  
  
"Thank you." she said.  
  
Tomoyo turned to the door and then turned again. She hugged Sakura tightly, "Sakura-chan..."  
she said.  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"I..." she trailed off.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan, you can tell me, its all right."  
  
Tomoyo let her go and held her hands, "Sakura," she said as she looked up at her, "I wish I  
could just tell you but that would make things too easy."  
  
"Tell me what?" Sakura said puzzled.  
  
"Oh!" she exclaimed as she looked at her watch, "Okaa-sama is waiting, I'll be late."  
  
"Tomoyo-cha~n!" Sakura exclaimed stamping her foot.  
  
Tomoyo hugged her best friend again, "I love hearing you say my name like that," she  
whispered, "you sound like the Sakura-chan I remember, promise me you'll stay that way  
forever."  
  
Sakura smiled and hugged her friend back, "Of course." she said.  
  
Tomoyo got into the car and rolled the window down, "By the way," she said, "I met Niwa-san,  
he's a great friend. Bye bye!"  
  
Sakura could only stare.  
  
"Hynnnnn~" Kero said as he poked his head out of the bag, "Na? Oh Tomoyo left." he looked  
up at Sakura, "Why is your mouth hang'in like that? Oh! Is that cake!?"  
  
Sakura snapped out of her shock and looked down at Kero, "We better get you home."  
  
"Yes," Kero said with a nod as he crossed his arms. "I hope you have a TV so I can set up my  
PS 2."  
  
Sakura laughed and zipped him back up.  
  
-----------  
notes to come 


	6. White Ribbons

VI - White Ribbons  
  
/Okaa-san asked for this?/ Daiske asked.  
  
"I'd be lying if I said yes." Dark said as he looked down at the crystal sculpture in his hand.  
  
/Then why did you steal this?/ Daisuke asked.  
  
"You never questioned what I stole." Dark said as he waited on the roof.  
  
/Leaving a note for the Card Captor, its as if you want her to come and-/  
  
"Stealing again?"  
  
Dark turned and smiled, "New costume?" he let his gaze wander over the lines of her costume. She was   
dressed in a snug fitting jacket that was longer in the back. Whoever had designed it knew that it would   
look nice as it trailed behind her as she jumped to the roof. The jacket stopped about mid thigh letting a   
black skirt peek from underneath, showing a bit of skin and then the top of long boots, not that Dark minded,   
she had very nice legs.  
  
/Hey!/ Daisuke exclaimed.  
  
/What? She does. I can't help but point out the obvious./  
  
She laughed, "I have my sources. Like you have yours." she said as she pointed with her wand.  
  
He chuckled, "Stylish heroine to match the thief." he wore black with belts and clasps all over. It was one   
of his favorite outfits as well as Daisuke's mothers favorite.  
  
"Heroine huh? So why don't you hand that over and you can go without having to turn yourself in." she   
said as she held her gloved hand out.  
  
"Why don't you take the mask off?"  
  
She smiled and lowered her head a bit. It was the same game every time, she would ask for the stolen   
object, he would ask for her mask.  
  
/I never tire of this game./  
  
/I can tell./ Daisuke said.  
  
"So where does this leave us?" she asked.  
  
"Stalemate." he said as he put the sculpture away in bag.  
  
"So how am I going to get that from you?" she asked.  
  
"You can chase me." he said, "You always out run me." slipped the bag over his shoulder and said, "Or you   
could give me the mask."  
  
She shook her head, "You know I can't." she said.  
  
He hopped off the roof whistling for With who came and picked him up. Dark flew as fast has With could   
carry him.  
  
"Fly!"  
  
Moments later she was flying next to him, her own white wings flapping as she caught up to him.  
  
"Sword!" she exclaimed and her wand turned into a sword. She sliced the bag open and the figurine fell   
out sparking as it tumbled back towards the earth.  
  
"Windy!" she said, "Wood!" she said as she threw two cards into the air, her wand spinning and   
connecting. As ordered, both cards turned into their magical forms and raced for the sparkling crystal.   
She followed their pursuit.  
  
Dark followed her, amazed at her magic.  
  
/If okaa-san knew about these cards.../  
  
/Yes. She'd want them as much as I want-/  
  
/Want?/  
  
"Got it!" she said as she sighed with relief. She landed on another roof top clutching the crystal to her   
body. Her magic returned to the cards they once were and she stowed them away in a pocket.  
  
"Well done." Dark said as he landed on the rooftop away from her.  
  
She turned and smiled, "You should know by now I'm good at capturing things."  
  
"What about people?" he asked. He was surprised at the way he said it softly. He stopped himself from   
wincing when she froze.  
  
She dispelled her wings and said, "I never caught people." she said softly.  
  
"Object for a mask." he said as he took a step towards her.  
  
"Same request?" she asked.  
  
"Of course." he said with a smile, he wish she turned so he could see her. While her current position   
allowed him to admire her athletic figure he wanted to see her face.  
  
"However, today is a special day." Dark said as he put his hands into his pockets.  
  
"Oh?" she asked turning her face.  
  
"White Day." he whispered.  
  
She turned, the ribbon from her mask trailing in the wind.  
  
"I wish I could see you under that mask." he said as he walked forward. "But I'll settle by being able to come   
close..." he stood next to her on the roof, "and wrapping this ribbon around your wrist." he pulled the glove   
off and wrapped the ribbon around her slender wrist.  
  
Then he turned over her hand and kissed her palm, then in a shower of black feathers he flew off into the   
sky.  
  
Daisuke covered his face with his hands, "So that's why..."  
  
/Yes./ he said, /She's so beautiful./  
  
"Even with the mask?" Daisuke asked softly.  
  
/I've stolen enough art to see around that./  
  
  
Sakura woke up and looked at the ribbon. She smiled at the thought of the handsome kaitou giving her the   
ribbon. Her hand flexed unconsciously at the thought of the kiss he gave her the night before. She   
covered her face with her hands, "Auuughhh!" she exclaimed. She looked at herself in the mirror and   
realized that she was blushing. "Must brush hair." she muttered as she pulled her hair into a half ponytail   
and wrapped the ribbon around it and ran off to class.  
  
"Morning Sakura-san." Daisuke called.  
  
Sakura waved with a smile.  
  
"What a pretty ribbon." Daisuke said as they walked together.  
  
Sakura smiled. "Yes, I thought so myself."  
  
/I looks like the one I gave to the Card Captor./ Dark said.  
  
"How did you get it?" Daisuke asked.  
  
Sakura smiled, "Get it? I stole it from Kimi-chan a while back."   
  
Daisuke felt a wave of relief crash over him. /Why?/  
  
/My my possessive aren't we?/  
  
/... we're just friends./  
  
/*smirk* You sure?/  
  
"Oh."  
  
/I can't tell him where I got it from./ Sakura thought as she tightened her grip on her bag.  
  
"Daisuke-kun! Sakura-chan!"  
  
"Kimi-chan!" Sakura exclaimed as she turned.  
  
"Just the persons I wanted to see!" she exclaimed as she skipped over to them.  
  
"Morning Kimi-chan." Daisuke said with a smile.  
  
"Wah! Sakura you look so cute with that ribbon!" Kimi-chan exclaimed.  
  
Sakura wanted to disappear. She didn't want to lie but, she doubted anyone would want to know that their   
friend was not normal.  
  
"Yes," Sakura said with a smile, "Its yours Kimi-chan, remember?"  
  
Kimiko's face turned into confusion. "Really?"  
  
"I'm not surprised you don't remember, you have lots of ribbons for gymnastics." Sakura said as she felt her   
heart beat faster. /Please let this work./ she prayed.  
  
"I guess so." Kimiko said with a smile, "I'm so forgetful sometimes." she smiled, "It reminds me of when I was  
in school and we had this tradition to give ribbons to people we liked. It must have been one of those."   
Kimiko said. She laughed, "I got so many that day I didn't need any more white ribbons for a good year."  
  
Sakura laughed."So you don't mind?"  
  
Kimiko smiled, "Keep it."  
  
/That went smoothly./ Sakura thought with relief.  
  
"So what did you want to see us about?" Daisuke asked.  
  
Kimiko's eyes went bright, "Oh! A festival! A nearby high school is putting it together, we go and help their   
teams with some tumbling and stuff so they invited us. I had two extra tickets." she handed them to Sakura   
and Daisuke. "They're raffle tickets. Why don't you two go? Yuri-chan and I will be going and some   
members of the team too."  
  
Sakura smiled, "All right."  
  
"I haven't been to a festival in years." Daisuke said as he looked down at the ticket.  
  
"It will be lots of fun!" Kimiko said, "I loved my high school festivals."  
  
Daisuke rose his face and smiled, "All right."  
  
"Meet us at the entrance at ten alright.?" Kimiko said.  
  
Daisuke nodded. "Ten."  
  
Sakura smiled, "Ten."  
  
"The team and I will be going over as a group so we'll meet you there." Kimiko said.  
  
Sakura wondered how Kimiko managed to convince Yuri to go. Yuri wasn't much of a festival person.  
  
  
  
Most people enjoyed festivals and faires, for Daisuke it was a moment of bittersweet unhappiness. He hung   
around the entrance and tried to keep this nervous stomach from bothering him. He took a deep breath and   
shut his eyes.  
  
/Riku-san! Harada-san, where is the first aid tent!/  
  
/Hurry Daisuke! What's wrong with her!?/  
  
He tried to will out the memories in his mind.  
  
/No, I can't relive this. I can't I-/  
  
"Daisuke-san?"  
  
He turned to see Sakura standing behind him. He blinked.  
  
"Are you all right?" she asked.  
  
He smiled, "Yes, its just a bit too early in the morning."  
  
Sakura laughed and said, "I know the feeling, why don't we get some coffee and wait for Kimi-chan? It   
seems were twenty minutes early." she said.  
  
He nodded and they walked to the corner. Sakura talked about random things happily, "You must be   
surprised I'm early." she said.  
  
He laughed, "I am, you aren't much of a morning person."  
  
"I woke up early because I knew I'd be late, usually I get here early or very late, its never on time."  
  
Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Daisuke-san, do you have a headache?" she asked concerned. Her wide green eyes looking up at him.  
  
"No!" he exclaimed, "Not at all." he said. "I'm still a bit sleepy." he lied.  
  
She smiled, "Coffee should wake you up then."  
  
"The elixir of college students around the world." he said.  
  
She laughed.  
  
He was jarred by her laughter. It sounded pure and absolutely happy. He felt something stir in his heart.  
  
/I made her laugh./ he thought.  
  
"I think I'll get some hot chocolate." she said, "Its getting cold."  
  
He smiled at her as they waited in line at the coffee shop, "What size?"  
  
"Medium I guess." she said. They approached the register.  
  
"Medium hot choco." she said.  
  
"And a coffee." Daisuke said as he put money on the counter.  
  
"Daisuke-san!" she exclaimed turning to him.  
  
"Its okay." he said.  
  
She shook her head, "Just wait, I'll pay you back." her eyes gleamed with mischief.  
  
He laughed, "Just try. I'll be faster." They received their drinks and walked back to the gate.  
  
"Hot chocolate at festivals remind me of school." she said as she blew on her chocolate.  
  
"What was school like?"  
  
"Well..." Sakura said as they sat down on a ledge next to gate. They chatted comfortably about their old   
high school lives for a while until Daisuke looked down at his watch and exclaimed.  
  
"Hoe?" she asked.  
  
"It's 10:30 do you think Kimi-chan will come?"  
  
Sakura shook her head, "I guess Kimi-chan forgot."  
  
He chuckled, "She does this often?  
  
"She's very forgetful." Sakura said with a nod, "If it weren't for her roommate Yuri prodding her along she   
would have lost her head under her bed."  
  
Daisuke laughed.  
  
Sakura sighed, "I'm sorry that Kimi-chan made you come all this way."  
  
He shook his head, "I don't mind." he said. "But its a nice day why don't we go to the festival together?"  
  
Sakura nodded. "Why not?"  
  
He smiled and they entered the fair together.  
  
  
  
"Well... even if Kimi-chan didn't come, I had fun." Sakura said.  
  
"Me too, though I still think it was unfair to pay for the lunch." he grumbled.  
  
She grinned at him, "That's what you get for paying for the drinks."  
  
He smiled back at their friendly banter. "But I paid for dinner."  
  
She made face at him. He chuckled.  
  
"Oh look." she said as they approached the children's play area. It was abandoned. On the ground were   
work out mats. Apparently it was the place where the high school team was demonstrating tumbling.  
  
Daisuke noticed the wistful look on Sakura's face as her gaze lingered on the mats.  
  
"Try it." Daisuke said.  
  
"Here?" she asked uncertain.  
  
"Yes, I'll spot you, I do it for Kimi-chan." Daisuke said.  
  
Sakura smiled, "Why not." she loosened her muscles a bit and tested her flexibility with a stretch or two   
and then she smoothly went into a handstand and then returned to her feet.  
  
"Not bad." Daisuke said clapping his hands.  
  
"That was nothing." Sakura said as she did a cartwheel then a back walkover and another handstand.  
  
"I can see why Kimi-chan said you were very good."  
  
Sakura turned on her hands a bit then went back to her feet.  
  
She shook her arms out, "I'm a bit rusty." she said.  
  
"That's not rusty." he said as he watched her move back into a handstand position, she was about to make   
the move more difficult but she misplaced her hand.  
  
"Woah!" she cried out as she fell.  
  
"Sakura!" he exclaimed lunging for her. Immediately his training kicked in and he quickly caught her in his   
arms. He tucked her into his body as he fell on his arm and rolled on to his back then on top of her.  
  
"Ooof!" she exclaimed as she opened her eyes.  
  
They stared at each other, eyes locking, steam coming out of their mouths.  
  
"Sorry!" he exclaimed as he pushed off her and landed on his back next to her.  
  
"I guess I need more practice." she winced a bit as she moved.  
  
"Are you hurt?" Daisuke asked immediately concerned.  
  
She shook her head, "No." she sighed as she looked up at the sky, "I haven't done this in a few years."  
  
He smiled as he turned his head to look at her. Her profile highlighted by the lights from the park.  
  
"Excuuuuuuuse me!"  
  
He looked up to see a little boy, he stood at the edge of the play mat annoyed. "Can we play now?"  
  
Daisuke smiled, "Of course." he said as he stood up. Sakura was sitting up. He held his hand out. "Let's   
go?"  
  
Sakura nodded and took his hand.  
  
Daisuke felt his heart beat faster, they had not let go since the mat area. It had been a least ten minutes.  
  
"I had fun." she whispered.  
  
He smiled at her, "I'm glad. This is the most I've seen you smile."  
  
She bowed her head, "Really?"  
  
"Yes." he said.  
  
"Oh look." she whispered. They stopped in front of a beautifully lit carousel.  
  
"Too bad its closed."  
  
"Yeah." she said with a small smile.  
  
Suddently music from the carousel blared out of hidden speakers.  
  
"Kyaaa!" Sakura exclaimed throwing herself into Daisuke's arms.  
  
He laughed. "Its just music."  
  
"I know." she said sheepishly. "I was startled that's all." she looked up at him just as he looked down at her   
with a smile. Then as quickly as the smile appeared, it died on his lips, and gently, he slowly rose a hand   
and touched her cheek. Then he lowered his face and brushed his lips with hers. He rose his head   
afterwards. He felt reluctant to do it.   
  
/Why?/ he wondered.  
  
Sakura's smile was gone.  
  
"Sakura I'm sorry I-"  
  
"Don't call me Sakura!" she exclaimed as she stepped back.  
  
"Sorry." he said.  
  
"This was a bad idea." she muttered as she turned away.  
  
Daisuke didn't think so. Things were going so well.  
  
"Yes." he said. "I'm sorry to ruin our friendship Kinomoto-san." he said stiffly.  
  
They walked home in silence and parted at the path that split their dorms. Sakura looked up at him and said,   
"G-goodnight!" she looked down at her hands, "Thank you for going to the festival with me." she turned   
away.  
  
Daisuke shoved his hands into his coat pockets replaying the kiss in his mind, as he walked home he   
touched his lips and blushed.  
  
"You really are attracted to her huh?" Dark asked as he slipped his hands into his pockets.  
  
/This can't be happening. This complicates things./ Daisuke said in a surly tone.  
  
"Indeed it does." Dark said as he leaned against the side of the building. He looked up at the starry sky,   
"I guess..." he said, "you needed me again. And she needs you."  
  
/I don't need anybody./ Daisuke said.  
  
"Daisuke..." Dark said, "for all you claim to be healed, you haven't have you?" he touched the ring around his   
neck.  
  
/I loved her, I still love her./ Daisuke said sadly, /She's all I need./  
  
"Then why did you feel reluctant to break that kiss?" Dark asked. He whistled for With who promptly came   
and turned into his character black wings and flew Dark up to the roof.  
  
/... I don't know./ Daisuke said.  
  
Dark leaned back against the roof while With curled up next to him. "Now I wish I could see that pretty Card   
Captor again." he said with a smile curling his lips. "I think tomorrow I will steal something..."  
  
----------------------  
+ Hmmm now we're getting somewhere right?  
+ I think that's the last of the completed chapters for now. ^^  
+ Stephanie 7/5/01 


	7. Turning Point

VII - Turning Point  
  
"I've been waiting for you."  
  
The Card Captor turned, "Dark-san!"  
  
"So formal." Dark said as he walked towards her.  
  
"I- uh..."  
  
He curled his fingers around her hand and kissed the palm again, her   
fingers curled around his cheek unconsciously.  
  
"Thank you for the ribbon." she whispered.  
  
"You're welcome." he said with an almost feline smile.  
  
She gently pulled her hand free and looked down at her hands, "So you   
left a note."  
  
"Why yes." he said, "just as I wrote in the note, I'm going to steal   
the mirror." he took that moment to admire what she wore. It seemed   
she had a costume for every different occasion. Whoever designed for   
her knew how to flatter her figure. Tonight she wore a deep red   
almost military style coat had a cream panel with black piping in the   
front that fastened with two rows of gold buttons marching up the   
front of the coat. It had stars on the high collar ending at the   
waist and flaring into two tails in the back. She wore deep red pants   
and boots that ended at the knee.  
  
/Very nice./ Dark said with a smile.  
  
/Excuse me, but you should say the same about you, you vain peacock./   
Daisuke said.  
  
Dark almost laughed, he had chosen a black costume, with black   
ribbons wrapped around him. He knew it had a dramatic effect when he   
flew.  
  
"But that mirror belongs to the school." she said.  
  
"Always righteous." he said with a smile.  
  
"Well... its wrong to steal." she whispered.  
  
"That's why you're here Card Captor-chan." he said.  
  
"Where is it?" she asked. "Have you stolen it yet?"  
  
"Its where its always been."  
  
She glanced at the gallery below and immediately ran towards it.  
  
"Hey!" he exclaimed.  
  
"Jump!" She jumped off the end of the roof, sure enough her coat   
tails trailing in the air behind her.  
  
/I knew they were lined in cream fabric underneath./  
  
/Are you here to steal or to admire her?/ Daisuke asked.  
  
/Well.../  
  
/*grin*/  
  
She landed safely and ran to the gallery as fast as she could.  
  
Dark ran to catch up to her.  
  
/The mirror,/ Daisuke said, /That mirror reveals your true self./  
  
/I know I have to be careful./  
  
They both reached the mirror. She was about to reach for it when he   
reached for her, "Wait!" he exclaimed.  
  
She turned to face him her hand curled around the edge of the frame.  
What happened next was all a blur ending in a flurry of black   
feathers, Dark grabbed her by the shoulders and before she could say   
anything let alone face the mirror, he wrapped his arms around her   
and kissed her.  
  
She gasped and covered her mouth letting go of the mirror.  
  
He caught it and burst through the window.  
  
Daisuke held the mirror in his hands, "That was close."  
  
/Yes./ Dark said. He looked a bit startled in the mirror.  
  
"Well... not only did we steal the mirror but you got to kiss her."   
Daisuke said with a smile.  
  
Dark blushed and looked away.  
  
"What?" Daisuke asked. "Its what you wanted right? I know you steal   
these things to see her."  
  
/.../  
  
Daisuke laughed and he looked up at With, "Take us to the roof."  
  
* - * - *  
  
"Sakura-chan?"   
  
Sakura blinked a few times,"Hoe?"  
  
"I've been calling you for five minutes." Kimiko said.  
  
"Sorry, I've had a long week." Sakura said with a sheepish smile.  
  
Kimiko nodded, "Midterms."  
  
/Not to mention avoiding Daisuke./ Sakura mentally added.  
  
"Have you been eatting?" Yuri asked.  
  
"Not really, I forget since I'm studying so much." Sakura said.  
  
"You really don't need to help." Kimiko said, "You look so tired, you   
didn't need to volunteer."  
  
"I want to," Sakura said, "I miss the team."  
  
"Then join silly!" Kimiko said with a giggle,"The older members tell   
me you were really good."  
  
Sakura blushed, "They flatter me."  
  
Yuri appeared behind them, "Can you help Tamayo with the supplies?   
She drove them here."  
  
"Sure." Sakura said as she walked over to the small hatchback car.   
When she returned she saw a group of girls surrounding someone.  
  
"Niwa-kun! Niwa-kun!" the girls called.  
  
Sakura hid her face behind the box she carried. She did not have the   
courage to face him. Not after that kiss. It kept her up at night,   
lingering in her mind like a long forgotten scent or flavor. It made   
her feel things she did not want to feel.  
  
But after that kiss she went home and instead of feeling angry she   
felt sad and lonely. Why? She shivered remembering the way he looked   
just before he kissed her. He looked so serious, his eyes dark and   
intense.  
  
She wasn't really upset with him but with herself for having her   
heart beat fast. She liked that kiss and she felt guilty.  
  
/Because that means I'm attracted to him./ she thought.  
  
Being attracted to someone meant that you had feelings for them.   
Feelings that could grow stronger, deeper, which, if they were   
reciprocated, could lead to dating. And that led to going out and   
the whole idea of having a relationship. It would lead to telling   
each other stories about their childhood about their private lives   
and eventually trusting that person enough to depend on them. To   
rest your entire weight on them.  
  
/To tell that person about the Sakura Cards.../ she thought.  
  
No. She had gone down that road and look where it got her. She had   
vowed to live her life for herself. It was her mantra, her motto as   
she counted the days till graduation.  
  
/No more. I'll just work on school and magic, I'll never trust my   
heart to another person./  
  
Why did it seem like an empty life?  
  
  
  
Daisuke smiled politely at the girls. He had just gotten his   
bandages off his leg. Since his leg was fully healed it made him the   
perfect candidate to set up the judo booth at the festival.   
He hated festivals, they were nothing but badluck for hi, but he had   
a duty to the team. Luckily his shift was almost over.  
  
"There we go." a familiar voice said as she set the boxes down on a   
table in the gymnastics booth.  
  
"Thanks a lot Kinomoto-san."  
  
Daisuke turned to see Sakura at the booth.  
  
"Its nothing at all." she said with a smile.  
  
Daisuke couldn't help but smile. She looked pretty as always, but   
she seemed a bit pale.  
  
Before he could even think about how pale she was a nightmare was   
replaying itself before his eyes. As soon as Sakura turned away from   
the table she fell bonelessly to the floor.  
  
Riku fell slowly before his eyes, her eyes closed as she fell to the   
ground.  
  
"Kinomoto-san! Someone! Help!" a girl cried out as she rushed to   
Sakura.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Kimiko cried out.  
  
Daisuke pushed past Kimiko and picked her up in his arms. He turned   
to Kimiko, "The first aid tent?"  
  
Kimiko pointed to a stripped tent.  
  
"Right." Daisuke said. "Go get someone, I'll move her to a clear   
place."  
  
"Hai!" Kimiko said as she ran back into the crowd.  
  
"Hmmm..." Sakura said, her hand clutched his shirt. Daisuke could   
feel his heart beat faster.  
  
"No, not now." Daisuke muttered as he walked to the nearest bench.  
Sakura shifted, letting her head rest on his chest.  
  
"Too late." Dark said as he put her down on the bench. He took his   
jacket off and laid it on top of Sakura.  
  
"Sakura-chan!"  
  
Dark quickly slipped into the trees near the bench and let his back   
rest against a tree. He shoved his hands into his pockets. "So... "   
he said, " 'mind telling me what's going on?"  
  
/I don't know./ Daisuke said.  
  
"You do know, if you really don't know I can offer some suggestions."   
Dark said.  
  
/.../  
  
"You may not want to admit it but its true. She's pretty Daisuke,   
she's quite nice too. She's-"  
  
/I only want Riku./  
  
"Daisuke you know that's impossible." Dark said softly.  
  
/Riku is the only one for me./  
  
"She may be but... she is also gone Daisuke. Don't you think you need   
someone too?"  
  
/I had someone./ Daisuke said.  
  
"Lonely for the rest of your life?" Dark asked.  
  
/I'll never be lonely./ Daisuke said vehemently, /I don't want to   
transform ever again./  
  
Dark smiled a bit, "That's hard, history tells us that Niwa males   
transform into Dark when they find someone the like. Besides..." Dark   
said as he walked home, "I want to see that Card Captor again."  
  
* - * - *  
  
He couldn't help but stare at her from behind his notes. Sakura   
smiled and laughed carelessly as if nothing was wrong with her.  
  
/As if she hadn't shared a kiss with the guy with red hair who is   
hiding behind his notes./ Dark said.  
  
/Don't remind me./  
  
Not like he needed any, that kiss lingered on his mind day and night.   
Her soft laughter didn't help either.  
  
The study group he and Yuri had gathered around the small table in   
his room were just as captivated with Sakura as he was.  
  
"Oto-san says that these books will help." she said as she pulled out   
a stack from her schoolbag, "Luckily they were all found here at our   
library."  
  
"Thanks so much for helping us," Eri said as she thumbed through the   
first book on the stack.  
  
Sakura smiled, "Not at all. Thank Yuri-san, she asked me for my   
father's input."  
  
"Well I'll thank Yuri-san for inviting her cute roommate."  
  
Yuri smiled but the smile did not reach her eyes. Her eyes were   
focused on the oblivious Kotarou.  
  
Yuri wasn't the only one reacting to Kotarou's flirting, Daisuke felt   
annoyed too.  
  
/Down boy./ Dark said.  
  
/He should stay away from her if he knows what's best./  
  
/From her or you?/ Dark asked.  
  
/.../  
  
/I wish I could thank Yuri for inviting Sakura along. She is a   
blessing!/  
  
/I don't want her./  
  
/Suit yourself. Let her be charmed by Kotarou./  
  
/That flirt? No way./  
  
Dark said nothing else.  
  
Sakura smiled politely at Kotarou, "Well Yuri-san really blackmailed   
me. Daisuke-san has some notes on a lecture I missed."  
  
Daisuke's smile matched her polite one, "That I do, but you don't ned   
my notes. You do well enough."  
  
Sakura nodded, "Yes but your notes would be a major help."  
  
/So would locking the both of you in a room./ Dark added.  
  
Daisuke growled mentally, /Another word and no Card Captor for you./  
  
/Like you had control over that./ Dark said with a laugh.  
  
Daisuke tried to ignore the nagging thread of imagination. The   
thought of being alone with Sakura was tempting. He wanted to snatch   
her away from Kotarou and the study group, lock them up in a room and   
properly kiss her.  
  
He wanted so much more than the kiss he gave her at the festival.  
But that required admitting that he wanted her.  
  
/There lies the problem. Chew on that Daisuke./ Dark said.  
  
Daisuke suddently found it hard to study at all that day. A few   
times during the meeting Kotarou would laugh and say, "Daisuke did   
you forget your brain at work?"  
  
"No, I'm a bit preoccupied." Daisuke said, keeping a tight reign on   
his anger.  
  
Sakura was the last person to leave the study group. Yuri had to   
leave early and the rest wanted to avoid the on coming storm.   
Kotarou had gotten the hint from Yuri and left Sakura alone. He   
offered Eri a walk home under his umbrella. Daisuke noticed that Yuri   
kept a close eye on her roommate.  
  
"Why?" he asked himself as he gathered the empty cups.  
  
/Sakura mentioned something about Yuri warning men off./ Dark added.  
"Daisuke-san?"  
  
He looked up at her. She held a plate of snacks.  
  
"Oh! Your notes. I'm sorry." he said. The thought of holding onto   
the notes to keep her behind had crossed his mind but he didn't put   
that plan into action, not deliberately. He poked through a stack of   
notebooks and found the clipped papers.  
  
"So..." Daisuke said as he gave her his notes.  
  
"Thanks." Sakura said as she put them in her her bag.  
  
"No problem." he said.  
  
They stood in silence.  
  
Sakura looked down at her hands her brass colored hair falling as it   
created a curtain around her face.  
  
Daisuke felt his heart beat faster. A week had gone by and they   
managed to avoid each other. He avoided her because he had kissed her.  
  
/She's probably avoiding you because you kissed her./  
  
/I know that./ Daisuke said back a bit annoyed. /It was a good kiss./  
  
/Daisuke... don't deny it./  
  
/I don't want anybody else./  
  
/Look at you, you're tearing yourself up over the fact that your   
heart beats three times as fast when you're around her, you brighten   
when you see her. She's so right for you./  
  
The sound of rain grew stronger.  
  
He had to admit, he was lonely. He almost envied Kentarou and his   
girlfriend as they laughed together. He missed having someone to talk   
to, to vent with and to comfort. And that kiss... he wanted to see   
where that kiss could go.  
  
/Now you're getting it./  
  
Would it be so hard to admit that he wanted someone?  
  
/But Riku.../ he thought sadly.  
  
/You don't have to stop loving her, no where does it say that you   
have to give her up to pursue someone else./ Dark said. /Its now or   
never./  
  
"I can make you happy." he whispered, "If you let me. I'll wait as   
long as it takes, I'll be patient. Just say the word."  
  
/Well maybe not so strong./ Dark said.  
  
Sakura looked up at him, speechless.  
  
"I don't think I can be your friend." he said, "Especially not after   
the kiss that night."  
  
"I'm not right... I can't...." she tried to say. "You wouldn't   
understand." Sakura's heart was tied up in knots. Daisuke was very   
sure of himself, of his future, he could have anybody.  
  
/Why would he need weird me?/ she thought wildly. She had watched him   
all meeting, he was so sure of himself. Did he not notice how Eri   
hung onto every word he said? He was a normal person who was secure   
in his world. /He does not need me./ she thought.  
  
His eyes turned serious and a bit softer than the playful tone, "I   
think you're very interesting," he whispered, "mysterious,   
attractive, and smart. What's not to understand?"  
  
Sakura shook her head, "Its just that I-" she sighed, "I can't do   
this right now." she said.  
  
"You've got a boyfriend?" he asked his heart breaking, "Figures a   
girl like you would be taken." he muttered a bit surly.  
  
Sakura's face darkened, "No, its the opposite."  
  
"So why don't we..." he trailed off as he took her hands.  
Her eyes were wide, not with surprise, but Daisuke saw it, the   
unmistakable look of fear. Something kept her heart tied up in   
knots. "I'm not ready." she said softly.   
  
He let her go.   
  
Sakura pulled on her coat and slung her bag across her chest, "I lost   
someone I thought I could love forever." she whispered as she turned   
away.  
  
Daisuke's eyes softened again, "I know how that feels." his hand   
reached for a ring around his neck, "Riku..."  
  
He didn't pay attention to the door closing. He just curled up on his   
bed and felt the tears come. "Riku... why did you have to leave me?"  
Things would have gone easier. They would have lived together on   
campus, he pursued his art history degree, she would have gone for   
her law degree.  
  
Gone... all gone...   
  
Why does it have to hurt so much?  
  
-----  
Time for Steph's Ranting ^^;  
1) there's a St. Tail reference in there. ^^ I've been looking   
through a lot of St. Tail manga to find things that Dark can steal   
(and Sakura to steal back ^_~).  
2) like always, Sakura is a bit slow in the "kimochi" department.   
Daisuke has his work cut out for him. ^_~  
3) Card Captor-chan, is that a bad nick name?  
Sakura: ...  
Steph: ^^ I think its cute  
Dark: Yes! I like it a lot!  
Sakura: ...  
Steph: Its not that bad. ^^;; Don't look at me like that. He named   
you not me.  
Dark: itai! Sakura stop!  
Ahem  
4) I'm working in "Break the Heart" references in this chapter.   
Especially why Daisuke hates festivals. Its *gasp* a plot point! If   
someone could tell me if any character is OOC I'd love that, I think   
I'm falling into the same trap that Silverlight found herself in, so   
many fanfics influence how we see characters its hard to tell what's   
the fanfic influence and what's the real influence. ^^ I've been   
wrapped up in this fic for a while I don't know if I'm making them   
ooc. ^^;;  
Harichan: don't mind her, she's been wrapped up in this story for   
almost 3 months now. It comsumes her subconscious. x_x  
Steph: so true, I print it out and read it while I use the elliptical   
machine at the gym. ^^;;;   
5) I'd like to quote two lines from a Bjork song called Joga   
"The state of emergency, how beautiful to be   
in the state of emergency, its where I want to be."   
Which is what the next few chapters will be like in a nutshell. Hold   
on tight, things are going to get rocky. The next few chapters are   
lots of fun (they were fun to write too!)  
Daisuke: do I get to kiss her again?  
Steph: No  
Daisuke: ;_;  
6) See you at the end of chapter 8 ^_~  
  



	8. Retreat

---------------  
VIII - Retreat  
---------------  
  
"You're still mourning over her." Dark said as he walked out of   
class. He had managed to spend the hour and half attentive. It   
wasn't so bad considering it was a lecture on post-modern art.  
  
/Leave me alone./  
  
"Daisuke... she's gone." Dark said softly.  
  
/Don't remind me./ Daisuke said.  
  
"Look you're the one that decided to pull a psychological mind   
twist." Dark muttered. "I wake up in your body-"  
  
/I can't deal with things right now./  
  
"Daisuke, you just can't hide from your problems." he said as he   
walked back to the dorm.  
  
/I can and I will./ Daisuke said stubbornly, /Being this way at least   
gives me the opportunity to./  
  
His eye caught the tell tale brass hair of Sakura as she came up the   
pathway.  
  
"Well then don't mind if I have some fun."  
  
/Dark! No! Isn't it hard enough that I got rejected from her?/  
  
"I don't think it was rejection, let's think of it as try number   
two." he said.  
  
"Hello Sakura-san." Dark said as he fell into step with her.  
  
"Hello Daisuke-san." she murmured.  
  
Dark smiled at Sakura admiring her. /She's not so bad./ he thought as   
he took in her long jean skirt, sweater and shoes. She had her hair   
pulled back with a clip and she had her backpack on both   
shoulders. /And very into her studies./  
  
/Of course not!/ Daisuke said.  
  
"I'm sorry about last tuesday." he said.  
  
"Its all right." she said.  
  
/Now... let's say... I got you a date with her, would you let me see   
the Card Captor?/  
  
/.../  
  
/I'll take that as a yes./  
  
/She wouldn't want to any ways, she's so wrapped up in her fear.   
She'd reject me again./ said a surly Daisuke.  
  
/Correction, she'd reject me and since I have no real feelings for   
her, I don't mind. If it was the Card Captor on the other hand.../   
Dark chuckled, /I guess I have your approval./  
  
"So why won't you give me a chance?" he asked as he turned and stood   
in front of her.  
  
/Dark!/  
  
"I told you," Sakura tried to walk around him, "you wouldn't   
understand."  
  
He moved to block her.  
  
"Daisuke-san please, I need to get to class." she pleaded as she   
tried to walk around him.  
  
"Not until you let me take you out." he said. "I'm not that bad, I'm   
pretty friendly." he was light on his feet as she tried to move out   
of his way.  
  
She arched an eyebrow at that comment.  
  
"Okay okay, I didn't mean it that way." he said. "But you have to   
admit..." he said.  
  
"Admit?" she asked, she stopped trying to out maneuver him.  
  
"There was something about that kiss..." he said.  
  
"For you maybe." she said.  
  
"Maybe?" he asked raising an eyebrow this time.  
  
"Well..." she stopped.  
  
The university clock tower chimed the hour.  
  
"Auuuughhhh! I'm late!" she exclaimed. She tried to move past him.   
Dark was just faster.   
  
Sakura threw her hands up in the air. "Aright." she said, "One date."  
  
Dark smiled, "Just one?"  
  
Her stern look faltered for a moment, "Well... yes!"  
  
He chuckled, "Tomorrow. Is that okay? At about five-thirty?" he   
asked.  
  
Sakura nodded.  
  
As he walked past her he whispered into her ear, "Wear something   
nice." he said.  
  
Sakura just stood there unable to believe that she was conned into a   
date with Niwa Daisuke.  
  
Suddently she noticed the headline in the school paper.  
  
"Dark Mousy warns campus security that he will steal tonight." she   
whispered. She clearly saw in the picture the challenge that was   
clearly made for her.  
  
"CC-chan, Come and find me... I will be stealing the Angel's Halo-   
Dark Mousy." she read softly.  
  
She blinked for a moment. "... Card Captor-chan..." she   
sighed. "Well, time to find out what the Angel's Halo is." she   
checked her watch. "I missed class, might as well miss it all." she   
rolled the newspaper up and tossed it into her backpack and jogged   
towards the newspaper office.  
  
"I hope Yuri-san knows something about the Angel's Halo." Sakura   
muttered.  
  
  
"The Angel's Halo?" Kerochan asked as he sat on Ran's table with a   
plate of takoyaki.  
  
Sakura sat down in a chair around Ran's table. Sakura was thankful   
that Ran lived alone off campus. It allowed her to turn into the Card   
Captor with out having to use the fire escape. Kerochan liked it   
because Ran let him use his PS2.  
  
"Apparently its an old piece of art. Its made of ivory and silver in   
the shape of a halo. Because its so shiny and white it was given   
that name. They say that the person who wears it on their head lets   
them have clarity of mind." Sakura said as she pulled on her boots.   
She sighed, "I swear, I insisted that what I had was enough for   
costumes, but she keeps sending me costumes."  
  
Ran smiled, "I'd like to use that Angel's Halo on a few people. My   
politics professor for one."  
  
Sakura smiled at Ran, "Same here, I have a few people that could use   
that halo." she looked at Kerochan, "You'll be okay here? Or do you   
want to join me?"  
  
Kerochan smiled, "I'll stay, I have a new game I want to play with   
Ran."  
  
Ran smiled.  
  
Sakura smiled at Ran, "I'll be back, keep the window open."  
  
Ran smiled, "No problem."  
  
Sakura walked to Ran's balcony, stepped up onto the railing, and   
pulled out her wand. She felt Kerochan stand next to her.  
  
"Fly!" she called as she flipped the card out, the wand making a   
connection. She felt the magic take over and she jumped off the   
railing and into the sky.  
  
"What do you want with the Angel's Halo?" Sakura asked herself as she   
flew to the art building.  
  
  
Dark stepped over the fallen security guard. "Too easy." he said as   
he lifted the plexiglass box and plucked the halo from its stand.  
  
"I guess the Card Captor didn't come tonight." he said as he leaped   
to a window and stepped out onto the roof.  
  
"And miss the fun?"  
  
He turned to see her standing at the end of the roof. She was   
clearly blocking his path.  
  
He smiled, "I spoke too soon." he took a step forward, "What is Card   
Captor-chan wearing tonight?" he said as his gaze swept over her from   
head to toe.  
  
The Card Captor smiled, "Nothing fancy."  
  
"What's not fancy about lace?" he asked incredulously.  
  
She shrugged.   
  
She wore a long white coat that was slit up the sides and back, the   
sleeves were edged in lace with silver embroidery running along the   
lapel, the cuffs, and as she turned, he noticed silver embrioidered   
wings on the back? The moonlight seemed to give her a heavenly glow.  
  
"I'd say the same about you," she said with a small smile.   
  
He laughed, "We seem to match Card Captor-chan." he said. He gave a   
turn for her, his white shirt unbuttoned at the top over a pair of   
loose light grey pants. A white ribbon circled around his neck. A   
silver grey cape was draped around his shoulders.  
  
She walked up to him her boots peeking from under the white coat, and   
held her hand out. "The halo." she said.  
  
"You know I'm not going to hand it over." he said, "Why do you keep   
asking?"  
  
She smiled, "Doesn't hurt to try Dark."  
  
"Well I'll keep asking then." he said, "Painting for a mask."  
  
She shook her head. The wind picked up a bit more speed making the   
long white coat trail in the wind, revealing a short white skirt and   
a lace petticoat.  
  
"I won't let you get away with the halo." she said. "You won't trick   
me like you did last time."  
  
The kiss.  
  
Dark's smile faltered a bit, "That was no trick."  
  
Her eyes widened, "I thought-"  
  
"I didn't want you to look into the mirror. It reveals your true   
self." he said as he slipped the halo into a bag. He walked past her   
to the edge of the roof. "Come after me. Take the halo if you wish."   
he stepped off the roof and a moment later he was carried away by   
With's wings.  
  
Dark could hear her close behind him. He dropped onto a nearby roof.  
  
"Dark!" she called. "I'm sorry."  
  
"It was an accident that's all." he said as he turned away.  
  
She landed on the roof, her wings disappearing.  
  
He smiled at her over his shoulder, "Come after me then."  
  
She nodded, "I won't give up."  
  
"Good." he placed the halo on her head and said, "Neither will I." he   
took a few steps back, then with a smile he walked off the edge of   
the roof and disappeared.  
  
  
Sakura watched as Dark flew away. She sighed, "I'm sorry." she said   
as she walked to the edge of the roof. "I can't do it." she   
whispered, "I don't have the courage to open my heart."  
  
She pulled the halo off and looked at it.  
  
-------------------  
Shorter chapter but its okay. ^^  
  
- I'm not sure how I like the way things are setting up for Sakura   
and Dark. It just happened to write itself that way. I think its   
because Sakura's heart is slowly warming up to the idea to Daisuke.   
^^ Besides Dark called her ecchi.  
  
Sakura: *nods* he did  
Dark: ;_; but I like you  
Sakura: ecchi  
  



	9. The Date

IX - The Date  
  
"I'm going to get you for this." Daisuke mutterd as he stared at Dark   
in the rearview mirror of his car. He was parked on the curb outside   
Sakura's apartment complex.  
  
/Don't worry about a thing./ Dark said. /You look good and besides   
you'll thank me later for this date./  
  
Daisuke had to admit that it felt nice to date again, he was a bit   
nervous but somehow it seemed better since Dark was in the back of   
his mind.  
  
/Daisuke.../  
  
"Yes?" he asked.  
  
/... Riku would have wanted this./ he said quietly.  
  
/I don't want you to be lonely./ her words echoed in his heart.  
  
"Its so hard." he whispered, "But I like the way I am."  
  
/You won't enjoy it in a few years./ Dark said, /Your grandfather   
felt the same. Sometimes being alone with old memories huts in the   
long run./  
  
"Next you'll be telling me you're doing this for my own good." he   
muttered as he opened the car door.  
  
/Of course!/ Dark said with smugness.  
  
"Yeah I'll get you. You'll see." Daisuke said as he closed the car   
door.  
  
/Coming from you that's as close to thanks I'll get./ Dark said with   
a chuckle.  
  
"Daisuke-kun!" Kimiko exclaimed.  
  
"Hello Kimi-chan." he said as he approached the door.  
  
Kimiko met him at the door. "You look nice."  
  
He smiled. "Thank you."  
  
"Oh!" Kimiko exclaimed. "I get it!" she put the key in the   
door, "Sneaky Sakura-chan she didn't mention anything about a date."  
  
Daisuke chuckled. "You seem excited any ways."  
  
Kimiko turned to Daisuke, "That's because she needs someone, she's so   
lonely sometimes." she looked at him with eyes that seemed to say, /I   
hope you're the one./ It was very un-Kimi-like for her to say   
something so serious.  
  
He smiled, "Sometimes being lonely is a good thing."  
  
Kimiko smiled softly, "Sometimes deep down we don't want to be   
lonely." she opened the door and called out, "Tadaima! Guess who I   
found!"  
  
Yuri came out of her room and smiled. She pointed to Sakura's door.   
Kimiko hopped over and knocked on it, "Sakura-chan!"  
  
"Haiii~!" she called. She opened the door and looked out, "Oh!" she   
exclaimed. "You're early."  
  
"Sorry." he said.  
  
"Its alright." she said and closed the door.  
  
Kimiko smiled at Daisuke, "Want something to drink?"  
  
Daisuke nodded. He looked down at the coffee table and smiled. Among   
Yuri's history magazines and Sakura's school books was an occasional   
manga. He picked one up and flipped through it.  
  
"I didn't know you liked manga." Kimiko said when she returned with   
some tea.  
  
Daisuke took the tea, "I like manga, but I don't read the kind where   
its two guys kissing."  
  
Yuri giggled.  
  
"What's the appeal?" he asked.  
  
Yuri smiled, "Cute guys, decent plot. I like the art mostly. Its like   
any other manga really, but it just has guys."  
  
"Ahhh." Daisuke said. He turned when he heard the sound of a door   
open.  
  
Sakura stood in front of her room with a smile.  
  
Daisuke could not think. He just stared.  
  
/Wake up!/ Dark exclaimed. /Don't stare at her!/  
  
/Right./ Daisuke thought suddenly and looked down at his drink.  
  
Dark muttered something about Daisuke and self control.  
  
/What was that?/  
  
/Nothing, but if you don't say something soon she'll think you're   
weird./  
  
Daisuke smiled at Sakura and said, "You look pretty."  
  
Sakura's smile grew a bit brighter.  
  
/I love her smile./ Daisuke thought.  
  
/Wake up!/ Dark said again.  
  
"Thank you." she said. "You- you look nice too."  
  
He stood up and walked up to her, "Shall we go?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Bye bye!" Kimiko called as she closed the door behind them.  
  
/Kimi-chan.../ Sakura thought nearly embarrassed.  
  
Daisuke walked along side her, "I was thinking dinner and then I have   
a surprise." he said.  
  
Sakura nodded.  
  
Daisuke took that moment to take in what she was wearing. A simple   
cream colored coat over a black skirt, cream colored turtle neck and   
a faded gold linen shirt over it. A ribbon ran through the shirt at   
the neck and sleeves creating a gathered tied up effect that suited   
her well. He realized that it was the first time he had seen her   
wear a bright color.  
  
/Yes very pretty./  
  
/What do you mean?/ Daisuke asked slightly irritated.  
  
/Just saying what you don't even want to think./ Dark said with a   
chuckle.  
  
"Daisuke-san?" Sakura asked.  
  
"Yes?" he asked.  
  
"Isn't this your car?"  
  
He turned and laughed a bit nervously, "Yes, sorry about that." he   
pulled on a bit of courage from Dark and said, "I was so busy   
admiring you, I missed the car."  
  
Sakura looked down at her purse and said, "Tha-thank you." she said   
softly.  
  
/Nice./ Dark said.  
  
Daisuke smiled.  
  
A short drive later they were seated next to a window studying menus.  
  
Sakura took this moment to take a good look at him.  
  
Daisuke was reading the menu intently oblivious to the fact that she   
was trying to peer at him over her menu. He wore a black turtle neck   
sweater and a pair of dark blue jeans. It made his red hair stand out   
more. His fingers drummed the edge the menu absentmindedly as he   
browsed it. She noticed he had long almost graceful fingers. She   
wondered how hands so nice could withstand the grueling work of judo.  
  
"Ready?" he asked raising his eyes off the menu.  
  
"Oh! Yes." she said as she quickly glanced at her menu. She gave her   
order to the waiter and busied herself with her napkin as Daisuke   
gave his.  
  
Daisuke noticed that she dropped eye contact with him. He bit back a   
sigh. "I-"  
  
"How is your foot?" she asked.  
  
He smiled, "Better."  
  
She smiled back, "So when are you competing?"  
  
"Not for a while." he said, "I need to work my muscles back up a bit   
and then I'll rejoin the team at the end of the season."  
  
"Pity." she said."You missed so much by then."  
  
He shrugged, "Its not a big deal." he said. "I heal fast."  
  
"So how did you learn judo?"  
  
"My family taught me."  
  
"Oh? Is it a particular school? Style?" she asked.  
  
"Yes." he said.  
  
Sakura opened her mouth to say something but she was interrupted by   
the waiter who set bowls of soup down.  
  
"In the end it doesn't matter." he said, "I used to compete when I   
was younger."  
  
/And the stolen pieces to prove it./ Dark said with a laugh.  
  
Sakura nodded.  
  
"And you? Why did you join the team?"  
  
Sakura blew on her soup, "I was naturally flexible and athletic."  
  
"Ahhh," he said. "I know the feeling."  
  
"Joining the team seemed like a good idea to refine my skills." she   
said.  
  
"Was this for cheerleading?" Daisuke asked.  
  
She looked down at her soup and gave it a stir, "Yes." she said after   
a few turns of the spoon.  
  
/It was more for catching cards./ she mentally answered.  
  
"Cheerleading naturally went to gym." Daisuke said.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"I know the feeling." he said.  
  
/This isn't so bad./  
  
/No its not./ Daisuke replied.  
  
Their bowls were replaced by their dinners. Daisuke was very   
uncomfortable in the silence. He swallowed his food and   
said, "Sakura-san."  
  
She looked up at him her green eyes focused on him.  
  
/Oh.../  
  
/Sometimes you're still fourteen./ Dark muttered.  
  
"How is your dinner?" he managed to say normally.  
  
She smiled, "I like it. What about yours?"  
  
"Its very good." he said.  
  
/Offer her some./ Dark said.  
  
/O-offer?/  
  
/Hold out the fork and say 'Would you like to try some?'/ Dark said.  
  
"Would you like to try?" Daisuke asked.  
  
Sakura chewed a bit and then said, "All right."  
  
/Where would you be with out me?/ Dark asked with a tone of   
satisfaction.  
  
  
  
"Yatta!" Sakura exclaimed clapping her hands.  
  
"You sir, make this game look easy." said the barker.  
  
/This is a walk in the park compared with what I have to do to steal   
things./ Dark said with a bored sigh.  
  
The surprise after dinner turned out to be a trip around an amusement   
park. He had racked his brain for something fun to do with Sakura   
and his very absent roommate managed to be in the same room with him   
to mention the new amusement park.  
  
'Take her to the new park!' Kentarou said.  
  
'What park?'  
  
'Well I guess an art history major wouldn't look at more current   
works of art,' Kentarou joked, 'I took my girlfriend there, she loved   
it!'  
  
Daisuke smiled at his roommate and threw a rolled up pair of socks at   
him, 'Thanks for the date suggestion, I won't kill you for the bad   
joke.' he said.  
  
He laughed as he took the winged plush bunny. He turned to Sakura and   
held the bunny out.  
  
"For me?" she asked.  
  
He nodded, "Of course." he said.  
  
Sakura stared at him for a moment, then at the bunny and took it. She   
smiled, "Thank you. How did you make it look so easy?"  
  
He shrugged, "Its nothing." he lied, "The game is tricky but its easy   
to figure out the trick." Daisuke smiled at her, "Want to try?" he   
held a ball up.  
  
She shook her head, "Its all right I'm bad at those things."  
  
He smiled, "That's hard to believe coming from a person that is   
naturally athletic."  
  
Sakura blushed. "You've been listening to Kimi-chan too much." she   
said.  
  
"No," he said as he put the balls down, "this is from natural   
observation."  
  
Sakura felt her heart skip a beat.  
  
/If this keeps up, soon, just seeing him smile will make my day./ she   
felt her heart turn cold with fear.  
  
She had to end it.  
  
"Sakura-san." Daisuke said, "Why don't we go for a ride on the ferris   
wheel?"  
  
She nodded.  
  
Minutes later they were seated in the open car. Sakura placed the   
bunny between them.  
  
"I can hold him if you'd like." Daisuke said.  
  
She shook her head, "Usagi-san looks nice there." she smiled.  
  
/I love her smile./  
  
/She's been smiling more often./ Dark said.  
  
Daisuke smiled back at her, /Yes, I never noticed this./  
  
/Or maybe she just thinks you're weird./  
  
/Gee thanks. I'd like to think I picked up some pointers and looks   
from you./ Daisuke said.  
  
/I'm flattered!/  
  
Sakura looked up at the sky, "Do you think..." she whispered, "that   
the dead look down at us from above?"  
  
Daisuke looked up, "I'd like to think that they're closer to us."  
  
"Onii-chan would say the same. He and my oto-san see- I mean swear   
that they can feel my okaa-san around them."  
  
"You miss your mother a lot?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "Yes, but I learned to live with out a mother. Its hard   
at times but you get used to it."  
  
"I know the feeling." Daisuke said, "My father came back when I was   
fourteen, I had never seen my father until then."  
  
"Was it weird?" she asked. "Having your father suddenly come into   
your life?"  
  
"Not really." he said, "He became a very nice man, I saw why my   
mother loved him very much. He adored her."  
  
Sakura smiled softly, "That's so sweet." she sighed, "Oto-san would   
say the same about okaa-san. He may not show it on the outside, but I   
can tell by the way he looks at her picture that he misses her very   
much. I love my oto-san even more for being both mother and father to   
me." she made a face, "My onii-chan too. He made it his   
responsibility to make sure that I never had a reason to cry. Of   
course we both know how hard a responsibility that is to fulfill."  
  
"We're a like then." Daisuke whispered. "We both grew up with only   
one parent."  
  
She nodded.  
  
Silence. Daisuke smiled as the wheel took them higher.  
  
"Daisuke-san." she said softly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"What's it like to have a mother?"  
  
"Very nice." he said. "My mother is very loving, she has a very big   
heart." he smiled, "she wanted a son very badly, when she had me she   
was so happy."  
  
"It must be nice to have that kind of love." she said.  
  
"It must be nice to have a brother."  
  
She made the same face at the mention of her brother, "He's annoying   
and very overbearing, threatening that he will come and drag me home."  
  
Daisuke laughed. "But he must have some good points."  
  
"Well..." she smiled and looked at him, "its not bad, onii-chan is   
someone I can always depend on."  
  
Daisuke smiled.  
  
"Oh! We're going back down!" she said.  
  
"My stomach always lurches when we drop." he said.  
  
Sakura laughed, "Me too!"  
  
/I love her laugh./ Daisuke thought suddenly. /I want to hear more./  
  
  
He walked her to her door.  
  
"Thank you for the wonderful evening," Sakura said.  
  
He smiled down at her, "The pleasure was all mine." he said. "I-"  
  
Sakura dug into her purse for her keys. She fished them out and   
smiled, "Well..."  
  
"Well..."  
  
"Thank you..." she said.  
  
"You all ready said that." he said.  
  
Sakura ducked her head, "Yes..."  
  
"So..." he said letting his voice trail off.  
  
She looked up at him, "I'll see you around!" she pushed the key into   
the lock.  
  
"Sakura-san." his hand wrapped itself around her arm.  
  
She turned, hand still on the key.  
  
He kissed her cheek and let go. "Goodnight."  
  
She smiled at him, "Goodnight."  
  
He watched as she opened the door and went in, smiling as she closed   
the door.  
  
Daisuke sighed.  
  
/Something was off?/ Dark asked.  
  
"I think..." Daisuke said as he got into his car and turned it on. "I   
came on too strong." He glanced into the rearview mirror where Dark   
looked back at him.  
  
/I don't think so./ Dark said.  
  
"This must be her first date in months." Daisuke said as he drove   
home.  
  
/A girl like her?/  
  
"Looks can be deceiving." Daisuke said with a chuckle. "We Niwas   
should know that better than anybody."  
  
Dark laughed.  
  
  



	10. On the Edge of Fear

X - On the Edge of Fear  
  
/Well... things seem brighter./ Dark said.  
  
"Yes." Dark said as he worked on his paper.  
  
/Are you going to try again?/  
  
"I think so." Daisuke said after some hesitation.  
  
/You've waited long enough./  
  
"I'll ask her as soon as I finish my paper." Daisuke said. He   
suddenly found it hard to concentrate on his text book.  
  
/Good because if you weren't I was going to write a note and leave it   
in her box./  
  
"Hey!"  
  
/I'm only doing what's good for you./  
  
"Sure... my family tried to kill me, they called that training, that   
was supposed to be good for me?" he asked saracastically.  
  
/It got you out of a lot scrapes. I wouldn't knock it./  
  
"Yeah yeah I know." Daisuke said with a laugh.  
  
He heard a knock on the door.  
  
"Come in." he said as he turned the page in his text book. "Where is   
that info I needed on greek sculpture..."  
  
"Daisuke-san?"  
  
He stopped mid turn and looked at his doorway.  
  
/Speak of the devil! Or shall we say angel?/ Dark said with a smile.  
  
/Angel./ Daisuke said a bit dazed. /Hey wait!/  
  
Dark snickered.  
  
Sakura stood at his doorway uncertain. She wore a blue jean shirt and   
a blouse. Her coat was slung over her arm.  
  
/Yes an angel with beautiful green eyes./ Dark said.  
  
/.../  
  
/Awww Daisuke, no need to get jealous, you know who I'm after./  
  
/I'm not jealous!/  
  
"Sakura-san." he said putting his pen down.  
  
"Am I interrupting?"  
  
"No!" he exclaimed, "Not at all."  
  
"Oh." she said, "You seemed very into your work."  
  
"I needed a break." Daisuke said with a smile, "You're a welcome   
break."  
  
She blushed and suddenly found her coat to be the most fascinating   
thing in the world.  
  
"So what brings you to my place?" he asked.   
  
"I wanted to talk to you." she said a bit nervously.  
  
He smiled at her and took her coat and placed it on his bed. He   
noticed her hands were shaking.  
  
/Why?/  
  
/Maybe she's nervous about the date?/ Dark suggested. /Offer her some   
tea, it will calm her down./  
  
He stood up and walked to the corner he and Kentarou set up. It held   
a hot water maker and some cups. "Would you like some tea?"  
  
She nodded, "That'd be great."  
  
He made some tea in a new mug and refilled his cup.  
  
"I didn't know you liked Saga." she said.  
  
He glanced at her standing near his bookcase, she was looking at his   
video game collection. Boxes were piled on the floor in front.  
  
"I work for them." he said. He handed her her cup and motioned for   
her to sit in Kentarou's desk chair.  
  
"Oh!" she said, "No wonder you have a collection that would make any   
guy drool with envy."  
  
He laughed as she sat down in Kentarou's chair. He placed his mug   
next to his keyboard and pointed to the boxes, "That's their demo   
stuff. Kentarou feels like he's rooming with a god, especially after   
he found out that I knew Keiji Saga. I let him play the games."  
  
"I know a friend who would just worship the ground you walk on if he   
could play half your collection." she said. She smiled at him.  
  
He smiled back and walked up to her, placed his hands on both the   
arms so that he was at eye level with her, not to mention very close   
to her face. "Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?" he   
asked.  
  
Sakura's smile fell a bit. "Yes." she said as she looked down at the   
mug of tea in her hands.  
  
Daisuke stood up again and sat down in his chair.  
  
She smiled up at him, "I appreciate you asking me out on a date last   
week."  
  
"I hope you enjoyed it." he said.  
  
"I did." she said with a nod.  
  
"Perhaps we can go out again?" he asked.  
  
She looked up at him, "I came here to ask you if we can become   
friends." she said.  
  
He took a drink of the tea to steady himself for what came next.  
  
"You're a nice person, but I can't- I can't do this." she said.  
  
"Is it something I did during the date?" he asked looking at her. It   
was a bad idea, he felt a sharp pang of pain in his heart. She was so   
beautiful and having her say this to him was sensory overload.  
  
"Oh no!" she exclaimed, "You were a very good date." she said.  
  
"But..." he said as he stood up. He thought things were going well.  
  
/She seemed to give off clues that she was interested./ Dark said   
confused. /Granted they were hidden under a veil of sarcasm, but the   
date seemed to open her up to so much./  
  
/Tell me about it./ Daisuke muttered.  
  
/Daisuke calm down... we can try again with-/ Dark was interrupted by   
Sakura.  
  
"I'm not ready." she said. "I thought I was and... I didn't want to   
lead you on. You're so nice, and maybe we can just go on being   
friends." she said in rush.  
  
"When will you be ready?" Daisuke asked angrily. Sakura looked up   
surprised. He knew she had never seen him angry. He made sure she   
never had a reason to see him angry.  
  
/Daisuke this could drive her away./  
  
/Look at her, she's so nervous about this, I would be too, if I met   
someone that could be a good match for me, I'd be running for the   
hills./  
  
/You did./ Dark said with a smirk.  
  
/This is no time for joking!/  
  
He sighed and ran a hand through his read hair, "I'm sorry." he said   
as he looked down at his desk. "Its just that... there's something   
about you that I want to get to know better. I like you a lot."  
  
"I'm sorry." she said, "I'm just not-"  
  
"I know," he said dully, "'just not ready.'" he repeated. He turned   
to her, "But Sakura-san, love doesn't come to you when you're ready."   
he said. "Just as love doesn't go away when you're ready." he looked   
at her, "Sometimes you don't realize how good you have it until you   
hold the person you love in your arms and she's gone."  
  
Sakura's eyes widened. Daisuke looked so sad.  
  
"Sometimes..." he said, "Love dies unexpectedly." he unconsciously   
touched the ring around his neck.  
  
He looked up at her, "But I'll wait, as long as it takes." he   
said. "But I won't wait forever."  
  
"I-"  
  
"Just do me a favor." he said.  
  
"That is..." she asked.  
  
"Don't come to me until you're ready." he said. "To see your face and   
to have this love for you is too much." he realized that as soon as   
he said that he was kissing his chances good bye.  
  
/Perhaps with the mysterious Card Captor.../ Dark said.  
  
/That's your quarry./ Daisuke said.  
  
/She's like you./ Dark said.  
  
/I don't want her./ Daisuke said.  
  
"I understand." Sakura said and she rushed out of the room.  
  
Daisuke collapsed into his desk chair and let his head rest in his   
hands.  
  
/Perhaps,/ Dark said with an amused tone, /you're not just attracted   
to her./  
  
  
  
  
Sakura ran back to the dorm blindingly.  
  
"Sakura!"  
  
She looked up and blinked a few times. Ran looked down at   
her, "Something wrong?"  
  
Sakura shook her head, tears spilling from her eyes.  
  
"Let's go back to my apartment." Ran said, "You're not fit to go out   
alone."  
  
"But-" Ran ignored Sakura's weak protests and dragged her back to her   
apartment.  
  
  
  
  
"So what is going on?" Ran asked as she gave Sakura a mug of tea.  
  
Sakura had curled up in a corner of the the couch.  
  
"Nothing." Sakura said with a sigh, "Its just..."  
  
"Is this about Daisuke?" she asked.  
  
Sakura ducked her face behind her mug.  
  
"Oh! I knew!" Ran said with a smile, "He's great Sakura, he's so   
patient with you. Don't let him go."  
  
"He deserves someone better than me." she said, "Someone... someone   
human!" she said.  
  
"What do you mean?" Ran asked as she straddled a chair, her arms   
hanging over the back of the chair. "You're as human as any of us."  
  
"No I'm not." she said, "I want to be normal but that will never   
happen. Its because of me that I lost Shaoran, he went to someone   
else."  
  
"Sakura..." Ran said softly.  
  
"If I was more compliant I would have said yes, I would have gone   
with him and lived with him." she said tears slipping from her   
face. "But I couldn't leave Japan. I had to chose Japan or him."  
  
"Couldn't you have worked something out?"  
  
Sakura shook her head, "I tried." she said, "We would date and I had   
no idea that his family matched him up with his fiancee." tears   
spilled from her eyes into her tea mug. "He had to marry her. It was   
a family obligation." she babbled. "What if I wasn't the card captor?   
What if Shaoran and I were just normal people? We could have stayed   
together."  
  
Ran slid off her chair and wrapped her arms around Sakura, "Its not   
your fault." she said.  
  
"It is!" she said, "If I wasn't so... so... he wouldn't have looked   
at her, he would have stayed."  
  
"Oh Sakura, you don't know that." Ran said sadly.  
  
"I wanted to burn the cards." Sakura whispered, "I wanted to burn   
them, they had no more value to me. They only reminded me of   
Shaoran." she said crying, "Everything reminded me of Shaoran."   
Sakura wiped her tears, "He was the only one that could understand   
the clow cards." she said, "I thought I was going to spend the rest   
of my life with him." she whispered. "Who else would understand this   
part of me?"  
  
"What about Daisuke?" Ran said as she smoothed Sakura's hair   
down. "He's very patient. I'm sure that, like me, he'll understand."  
  
"Or run away screaming." Sakura said. "I couldn't tell him." she   
said. She looked up at Ran, "I don't want to lose him. If that means   
hiding the truth from him, then I'll do it."  
  
"Oh Sakura..." Ran said. "Are you sure? The Clow Card magic makes you   
so happy. Those cards are you."  
  
  
  
  
Dark found her sitting on the rooftop. He was surprised to find her   
note slipped into one of the information frames of the Hikari   
paintings.  
  
"Not going to chase me tonight?" he asked.  
  
"No." she said.  
  
"Well by the sound of your note..." he turned to see her face, it was   
dull. "Something wrong?"  
  
She nodded. "Maybe you understand." she said.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"See... I met this guy." he noticed a faint blush under her mask.  
  
Dark did not let on the feeling of heartbreak on his face.  
  
/You and me both it seems./ Daisuke said sadly.  
  
"Oh?" he asked nonchalantly.  
  
"Yes." she said, "He's very friendly and nice to everybody. He's a   
good friend." she said.  
  
"But?" he asked despite the anguish and anxiety he felt.  
  
"I went on date with him." she said. "It went really well."  
  
"So?" he asked.  
  
"It went too well." she said as she looked down at her hands. "If I   
went out with him I would have considered falling in love with him.   
Not quite in love but almost." she looked at him, "I'm not sure if   
I'm clear."  
  
"I undersand." Dark said as he lowered his head a bit, he didn't want   
to her to see the disappointment in his face.  
  
"I'm not ready." she whispered as she looked up at the sky.  
  
"Ahhh previous relationship." Dark said as he leaned back against the   
roof.  
  
She nodded. "Shaoran-" she stopped. "I guess I can tell you his name   
since you probably won't know him anyways, Shaoran and I were friends   
since elementary school. But we had been together as a couple since   
junior high. I've known him for almost nine years."  
  
"That's a long time." he said with a low whistle.  
  
"Yes." she said. "However, two years ago... he asked me to marry him   
and return with him to Hong Kong."  
  
"Why didn't you say yes?" Dark asked.  
  
"I wasn't ready." she said, "I wasn't ready to leave Japan and school   
and my family." she smiled wistfully. "I guess you could say, I   
didn't love him enough."  
  
"That's not true."  
  
She shook her head, "If I did love him enough I would have gone." she   
said. "His family wouldn't have cared that I was a card captor. They   
would have loved it. I broke his heart, and in turn he broke mine."   
she said sadly. "I loved him so much."  
  
"Is he the reason why you won't go out with the new guy?" Dark asked.  
  
She nodded. "I'm afraid."  
  
"What is there to be afraid of?" Dark asked. "Is he mean?"  
  
She shook her head.  
  
"Is he vain? Stupid? Cocky? A jerk?"  
  
She laughed, "No, he's none of them, he's very sure of himself, he   
carries himself with such security. He's very happy and wants   
everybody to be happy too." she said. "He's everything a person could   
want."  
  
"Then..." Dark asked slowly, "Whats wrong?"  
  
"He's too good!" she exclaimed, "He's patient and intelligent, he   
never takes no for an answer." she blushed, "And he's good looking.   
He could have anybody."  
  
"But he asked you." Dark said.  
  
/This hurts huh?/ Daisuke asked.  
  
/More than you'll ever know./ Dark said.  
  
"But he doesn't know that I'm a Clow Card Mistress, or that I have a   
talking plushie." she said. "Normal people would go running towards   
the hills if they found out."  
  
Dark smiled with a nod, "I know how that feels."  
  
"Do you?" she asked as she turned to look at him.  
  
"Well, I mean I'm a kaitou and all." Dark said.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"So why not me?" he asked giving her a nudge.  
  
She smiled, "I appreciate it."  
  
"But you're thinking about this guy." he said.  
  
She nodded.  
  
"Believe it or not." Dark said as he looked up at the sky. "Guys who   
are very secure on the outside, are very vulnerable on the inside.   
While he may seem on the outside that he can accept any answer you   
give him, on the inside it will affect him much much more. Sometimes   
they have their weaknesses, but they rarely show them."  
  
She nodded. "Yes." she said.  
  
"And he's willing to wait for you?" he said.  
  
"Well I think so..."  
  
"You think so?"  
  
"Yes." she said.  
  
"Don't let him go." Dark said.  
  
/Man this hurts./  
  
/I know./ Daisuke said.  
  
She smiled. "I don't know why I came to you." she said.  
  
"I guess its because we have alternate lives." Dark said.  
  
"I feel like I can trust you." she said. She turned to him, "We had   
an agreement. A painting for a mask."  
  
"Yes." Dark said.  
  
"I want to honor that agreement."  
  
"Its not necessary-" Dark protested.  
  
"I trust you." she said. "But that doesn't mean that I won't try to   
catch you." she smiled under the mask.  
  
He nodded.  
  
She pulled the gloves off her hands and untied the knot in the back   
of her head.  
  
Dark's eyes widened as the mask slipped.  
  
/I had no idea.../ Daisuke said.  
  
/Neither did I./ Dark said.  
  
She let the mask fall into her lap and rose her eyes. Green eyes.  
  
"No more hiding." she said.   
  
  
  
  
  



	11. Hand in Hand

-----------------  
XI - Hand in Hand  
-----------------  
  
"Hai, Daidouji-desu."  
  
"Tomoyo-chan."  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo said excited.  
  
"Are you busy?" Sakura asked as she sat down on her bed.  
  
"Not at the moment."  
  
"Ah." Sakura said.  
  
"What's wrong?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
"Nothing." Sakura said, "I just wanted to talk."  
  
"Sakura-chan you rarely call."  
  
"I'm making a start." Sakura said as she looked at the plush bunny.  
  
"What's wrong?"  
  
"Daisuke-san and I went out on a date."  
  
"Oh! That's wonderful!"  
  
"It was not!" Sakura exclaimed.  
  
"Did the date go badly?"  
  
"No."  
  
"So how could it be a bad date?"  
  
"Be-because!" Sakura said as she leaned back against her pillows.  
  
"So it was a bad date because it went well." Tomoyo said, "Oh Sakura-  
chan..."  
  
Sakura stared at the bunny. "Tomoyo-chan..." she said softly.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I'm not ready." she whispered.  
  
"No, you're afraid." Tomoyo said. "Every part of you is ready, your   
heart is afraid to be broken again."  
  
"Not true." Sakura said.  
  
"Its true because I know you better than you think I do." Tomoyo   
said. "And because I met Niwa-san and he is just like you."  
  
"You mean he has an alternate night life?" Sakura joked.  
  
"No." Tomoyo said, "He's lonely like you."  
  
"He's so sure of himself." Sakura said, "So together, how can a   
person so friendly be so lonely?"  
  
"Just like you're cute Sakura-chan but on the inside you hurt as much   
as he does." Tomoyo sighed, "Sakura-chan..."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"I had hoped that Niwa-san would be the one that could make you see   
that you have to let go of the past." Tomoyo said.  
  
"Tomoyo-"  
  
"Sakura-chan," Tomoyo said, "He cares for you, you're so lonely, he's   
good for you. Sometimes, its worth it to risk your heart to see if it   
can work. We can't go through life expecting that our first love was   
our only love."  
  
Sakura smiled, "Tomoyo-chan."  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Any time."  
  
  
  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Kimiko exclaimed as she popped her head into the door.  
  
"Hnnnn, Kimi-chan?" Sakura muttered under her blankets.  
  
"We're going to miss the boat race!" she said. "Hurry!"  
  
Sakura buried her head under her pillow, "But its so warm.   
Utsukushiii~" she said.  
  
Kimiko laughed as she hopped onto Sakura's bed. She pulled the pillow   
off her head, "Let's go, we're late, Daisuke-kun is holding the bench   
for us! Sakura?"  
  
"Sleep is so nice, shiwase~~" Sakura said with a smile.  
  
Kimiko pulled the covers off, "You've never missed a boat race!"  
  
Sakura sat up. "Hai, hai." she said as she tumbled out of bed.  
  
"Hurry! I have to go wake Yuri-chan now." Kimiko ran out of the room.  
  
"Why do I get woken up first?" Sakura muttered as she dug through her   
closet for some clothes.  
  
"Because..." Kimiko said softly, "she looks so peaceful when she   
sleeps." she closed the door behind her and a moment later Sakura   
could hear Yuri shout, "Wahhhhh Kimiko~!"  
  
Sakura smiled and ran a brush through her hair. She crawled into some   
wool pants and a fluffy sweater with hood.  
  
"Kimi-chan!" Sakura exclaimed. "Where is Daisuke-san holding the   
bench?"  
  
"The one next to the tree infront of his dorm!" Kimiko said from the   
room.  
  
"Ouch! Kimiko!"  
  
"Wake up!" Kimiko shouted.  
  
"I'm up! I'm up!"  
  
Kimiko giggled, "Yuri-chan you're such a grouch when you wake up."  
  
"One of these days I will get you while you're sleeping, just you   
wait."  
  
Sakura smiled as she pulled on her coat and gloves. She ran out of   
the apartment as she pulled on her hat and scarf.  
  
Minutes later she peeked from behind the tree. He sat on the bench   
huddled in his coat.  
  
He had a sad look on his face.  
  
"Kimi-chan, I'm freezing."  
  
Sakura covered her mouth, he too was snookered by Kimi-chan's cute   
charms. At that monent a guy walked by and talked to Daisuke. Daisuke   
looked up and smiled at him talking animatedly.  
  
Once again Sakura was amazed at his looks. He was very calm, secure,   
together, as if his smile would solve all problems. The world seemed   
to light up when he smiled. She gasped and turned away from him   
pressing her back against the tree. Her heart was beating fast. She   
turned again and looked at him.  
  
She had to admit it, she missed him and his friendship. The month   
went by quite lonely and cold. "Maybe I am afraid." she whispered."I   
never realized how he had worked his way into my life."  
  
She stepped from behind the tree and walked towards him. Sakura sat   
down next to Daisuke on the bench.  
  
"Hello." she said softly.  
  
He kept his eyes on the boat race. "Hello." he said back.  
  
"I'm sorry." she whispered.  
  
"Its alright." he said.  
  
Sakura sighed and watched the boat race too. She was mentally   
screaming, 'What now!?' She looked down to see his hand on the bench.  
  
/I can make you happy... if you let me.../  
  
Did she want to risk it? She missed Daisuke.   
  
/Don't let him go./  
  
She closed her eyes took a deep breath and reached for his hand, she   
swore her heart stopped beating while she waited for a response.  
  
He curled his fingers around hers.  
  
Sakura felt her heart beat again.  
  
"Thank you." he said.  
  
She turned to look at him. He was looking directly at her.  
  
"I should be the one saying that." she said.  
  
"Oh! Sakura-chan! Daisuke-kun!" Kimiko exclaimed as she made her way   
towards them. "Raaki!" she exclaimed. Yuri followed Kimiko. "Scoot   
over, we're sitting here too!"  
  
Sakura felt Daisuke tug on her hand. She moved over until she was   
right next to him.  
  
In the folds of their coats, she felt him squeeze her hand. She   
blushed and lowered her face into her scarf.  
  
"Sakura-chan? Are you alright?" Kimiko asked.  
  
"Yes!" Sakura exclaimed, "I'm fine. Just a bit cold."  
  
"We should squeeze together some more to keep warm then." Kimiko said   
as she scooted over, pushing Sakura and Daisuke closer.  
  
"I agree." Daisuke said as he slipped her hand into his coat pocket.  
  
Sakura prayed Kimiko didn't notice her blush.  
  
Daisuke smiled.  
  
  
  
  
Later that day they walked around the lake hand in hand.  
  
"So what now?" Sakura asked in half whisper.  
  
Daisuke smiled at her. "Well..." he said as he sat down on a nearby   
bench. He took her hand and dragged her toward him. He held her hand   
between his, thumbing the soft skin under his thumbs. "You call the   
shots," he said, "but I want you to be honest." he noticed an   
apprehensive look on her face.  
  
/She's afraid of telling you./ Dark said.  
  
/I know./ Daisuke said. /How can I tell her that I know with out   
exposing you and keeping her from running away from me? She's so   
special to me, she'll understand the twisted DNA someday./  
  
"You can tell me as much as you want, when you want." he said.  
  
"Even at two am?" she asked in a half smile.  
  
"Why not? It will annoy Kentarou but its nothing his girlfriend   
hasn't done with me."  
  
She suddenly turned pink. "Girlfriend?"  
  
He smiled, "Not that either." he said. "We take it very slow."  
  
/That's going to be so frustrating, why don't you let me do it?/ Dark   
said.  
  
/No, I want this to go well. Who else can I find that's so like me?/   
he asked. /I can't lose her./  
  
/We'll do it your way then./ Dark said.  
  
"Is that all right?" he asked as he looked up at her.  
  
She nodded. She sat down next to him and took his hand, threading her   
fingers with his. "I like this." she whispered.  
  
"And?" he asked.  
  
She looked up at him. "You?" she supplied.  
  
He smiled, "I think we got that established already."  
  
She laughed.  
  
"Actually..." she said softly. "I lied."  
  
"About?"  
  
"The death." she said. "He wasn't dead, but it felt better talking   
about him as if he were dead." And she told him what she wanted to   
tell him, he didn't insist on any futher information. She told him   
about Shaoran and her relationship, things he already knew but   
differently.  
  
/Like that night on the roof./ Dark said.  
  
/Yes./ he said.  
  
And he told her about Riku.  
  
"Sakura?" he asked.  
  
She was silent.  
  
"Is that why you wear that ring?" she asked.  
  
He nodded.  
  
"Ah..."  
  
"Sakura..." he said with a warning tone. Suddently he realized what   
she meant.  
  
"Is that 'ah' an 'ah okay' or an 'ah I'm jealous'?" he asked softly.  
  
She couldn't help but smile. "I admit I'm a bit jealous." she said.  
  
"Don't be jealous of her." he said. "I don't compare you to her."  
  
Sakura nodded. "You know that I do the same with you."  
  
He smiled, "So now that we go that out of the way why don't we leave   
the past behind us and just talk about things we enjoy?"  
  
She nodded and scooted closer to him.  
  
"Like..." he said as he rose his arm and pulled her closer to   
him, "training for the team try outs." he said.  
  
"You think I can do it?" she asked.  
  
"I think you can." he said. "I've seen you do some stuff."  
  
/Lots of stuff./ Dark said.  
  
/Shoo leave us alone./ Daisuke said.  
  
/Us? Ohohoho./ Dark said.  
  
/.../  
  
"I guess so..." she said.  
  
"You guess so?" Daisuke asked with a mock tone.  
  
"All right, all right, I can do it." she said, "I'll train with Kimi-  
chan and try out." she said.  
  
"That's the spirit." he said as he hugged her. He kissed her forehead   
and stopped when he realized what he was doing. He pulled away and   
looked at her.  
  
Sakura smiled up at him and then burrowed under his arm   
again, "Its cold, are we going to sit here and talk all day? Because   
I think we can easily talk while we have some hot choco."  
  
He smiled and stood up. "Let's go."  
  
-------  
  
Hello~ ^^ This is just a nice transition chapter. Kind of short but   
sweet anyways. I'm not very fond of the chapter title but then again   
its the story that counts, and its a chapter we've been waiting for,   
or at least its not on a cliff hanger right? ^_~  
  
I just got back from Japan but I've been sort of keeping up with   
mailing list news here and there. ^^ I've now learned how expensive   
melons are. x_x I was really amused that I was buying food from a   
convienence store called "Daily Yamazaki" which sort of prompted this   
fic idea about Yamazaki running a law firm and Tomoyo needs someone   
to defend her toy company... anyways... its sketchy and put in the   
back burner for now... ^_^  
  
I'm not fond of the title of this chapter, but then again its the   
story that's more interesting right? Forgive any grammer or typos   
since I've been working on it for a while and I tend to gloss over   
glaringly obvious mistakes. ^_~  
  
Steph  
  



	12. Enter Emiko

Shape of the Heart 12  
-------------------  
XII - Enter Emiko  
-------------------  
  
Sakura sighed as she left the gym. The days were getting warmer, she   
was glad, no more lugging heavy coats around.  
  
"Need help?"  
  
She looked up to see Daisuke standing near the door. She smiled at   
him. "Yes!" she said. Dropping the duffel, she wrapped her arms   
around his neck and kissed his cheek.   
  
"Just the cheek?" he asked in a mock-hurt tone.  
  
Sakura smiled and kissed him she felt him wrap his arms around her   
waist. He squeezed, "Getting thinner." he said in a worried tone.  
  
"No just getting in shape." she said.  
  
"How is the team?" he asked as he picked up the duffle.  
  
"Not bad." she said, "I'm so out of shape and the freshmen are better   
than me. I'm so slow and rusty."  
  
/You weren't rusty yesterday./Daisuke thought with a small wry smile.   
The night before Dark was off stealing a very rare vase from the   
history department. Sakura had managed to keep the vase. She flipped   
out of as second story window and landed in front of him, her magical   
wings softening her landing.  
  
/She's getting faster./ Dark said. Daisuke could almost see Dark's   
smile.  
  
/Yes./ Daisuke thought.  
  
/If she had had more practice she would have caught me./ Dark said   
amused.  
  
"I'm sure you'll catch up in no time." he said with a bigger   
smile, "The coach believes in you, Yuri and Kimi-chan do too." he   
shouldered the bag.  
  
"You convinced me to go back." she said with a smile.  
  
"That's because you're talented and I believe in you. Let's go get   
some dinner, I think we missed the cafeteria hours-" he felt her take   
his hand. He turned to see her face flushed. Daisuke couldn't tell if   
it was due to the weather or something else.  
  
She held his hand in both of hers, "I don't deserve you," she   
whispered, "but I'm glad I have you." her eyes sparkled at him.  
  
He kissed her forehead and, hand in hers, took her to his car to go   
eat, his face flushed as well.  
  
=====  
  
"Want me to get you something to drink?" Daisuke asked.  
  
Sakura looked up from her engineering book, "You're enamored with   
your new kitchen aren't you?"  
  
Daisuke blushed, "Yes." he said.  
  
"You moved in a month ago, Daisuke." Sakura said.  
  
"So?" he asked in a mock hurt tone.  
  
Sakura laughed, "I'm a bit hungry actually."  
  
Daisuke grinned, "Let's see what Kentarou bought on the last food   
run." as soon as he finished what he said there wa a knock at the   
door. "Come in." he called as he stood up.  
  
"Dai-chan!"  
  
"K-kaa-san! What are you doing here?" Daisuke asked as he turned and   
closed his book.  
  
"I've come to visit my only son." Emiko exclaimed as she wrapped her   
arms around him. He felt her pause before she let him go. He knew his   
mom had seen Sakura. He hoped she approved of her.  
  
Emiko gave him a look of, "You will introduce me right?"  
  
Daisuke smiled and turned to Sakura who was lost in her engineering   
books. "Sakura-san." he said softly.  
  
Sakura slowly stood up and smiled softly, holding her hands behind   
her.  
  
"This is my mother Niwa Emiko." he said, "This is Kinomoto Sakura,"   
he said to his mom, "my girlfriend." he managed to say with out too   
much emotion or embarassment.  
  
Emiko smiled and walked around the table to where Sakura stood. She   
hugged the girl. "My you're very beautiful Kinomoto-san." she said.  
  
Sakura blushed, "Th-thank you." she looked down at her hands.  
  
"And modest." Emiko said with a chuckle, "He's treating you well?"   
she asked.  
  
"Okaa-san!" Daisuke exclaimed.  
  
Emi chuckled.  
  
Sakura smuled, "Too well Niwa-san."  
  
Daisuke felt his face get warm.  
  
  
  
  
"So." Emiko said later that night at her hotel room. "This is the   
Card Captor that you wrote home about."  
  
Dark smiled, "Yes." he made a cup of tea for Emiko and sat down in   
the arm chair.  
  
"Now I see why Daisuke doesn't come home during his breaks." Emiko   
said just before she took a long sip of her tea.  
  
"Well, its complicated." Dark said as he shoved his hands into his   
pockets.  
  
"Oh really?" Emiko said, "It must be that boyfriend she used to have?"  
  
Dark nodded. "But she's opened up again and its all due to your son."  
  
Emiko smiled brightly, "He's got a way to make people open up to him."  
  
"I don't know if Daisuke knows it himself but he's very much in love   
with Sakura," Dark said. "I almost think he's willing to spend the   
rest of his life with her."  
  
"So soon?" Emiko asked her eyebrows raised.  
  
A smile curved Dark's lips upward, "I don't blame him either," he   
said, "Imagine being stuck in a situation that you didn't ask to be   
in. You have a talking plushie that turns into a big plushie with   
wings and you have magic powers. You run around masquerading at   
night. Who has experiences like that in their childhood?"  
  
Emi smiled, "I've heard things about the Card Captor but I thought   
they were just myths. Kousuke-san came back with some interesting   
information when you told us about her and her cards. Apparently Clow   
was a very powerful mage. He dates back as old as you."  
  
"At least I stay young forever." Dark said with a grin.  
  
Emiko sighed, "I can see why he loves her." she smiled, "She would   
understand with out any explanation, she'd have stories of her own to   
share. He hasn't had that kind of companionship since Riku died."  
  
"Well matched." Dark said with a smile. "Daisuke knows that a fool   
would let her go. Unfortunately he learned that the hard way the   
first time around."  
  
Emiko's eyes darkened at the memory of her son. Daisuke had closed   
himself off from the world when Riku died. But today when she saw   
Daisuke look at Sakura she saw her happy son again. Emiko smiled, "I   
think I will meet Kinomoto-san." she winked at Dark, "And don't tell   
Daisuke I'm doing this."  
  
"He'll find out eventually."  
  
"But he always forgives me." Emiko smiled.  
  
=====  
  
"Kinomoto-san!"  
  
Sakura turned to see Niwa Emiko waving at her from a small table by   
the window.  
  
/Its only Daisuke's mother./ Sakura thought as she weaved her way   
through the tightly knit network of tables.  
  
The mother of her boyfriend. Her heart flipped at the word boyfriend.   
They had been going out for barely six months but it seemed like   
forever. After that day at the lake they opened up to each other.   
Sakura realized that Daisuke understood. He neither questioned her   
when she arrived at his door or when she was in a bad mood after Dark   
Mousy had gotten away with an art piece. He accepted her and wrapped   
his arms around her. She couldn't imagine a day with out him. It was   
a feeling she didn't want to lose. He was everything she thought he'd   
be and much more. Attentive, kind, open, and funny. She told him   
everything, confided in him and best of all he accepted it with out   
question.  
  
/I may be able to tell him one day./ she thought.  
  
Especially after Daisuke said that morning on the way to class, 'Do   
you believe in magic?'  
  
She had stopped in her tracks and stared at him. He kept walking and   
talking.  
  
'What did you say?' she asked her heart stopping.  
  
He turned at the sound of her voice and said, 'Oh! You stopped   
walking.' he said.  
  
'What did you say?' she repeated.  
  
'I said do you believe in magic?' he said.  
  
'Well... what do you think?'  
  
'On magic?' he said as he looked at her. He had a look of confusion   
on his face.  
  
She blushed and shook her head, 'Never mind.' she said as she walked   
a bit faster.  
  
He jogged to catch up to her, 'You know ...' he said.  
  
She turned her head to look at him, her heart stopping. She could   
almost expect him to frown at her and say, 'You're hiding something   
from me.'  
  
'Want to come by tomorrow for dinner? I can order a pizza or we can   
grab some take out.' he asked, 'We can study and then catch a movie.   
We haven't done that in a while.'  
  
She blinked a bit and smiled, 'I'd love that.' she said.  
  
He smiled back at her, his eyes not hiding his happiness. Seeing his   
smile, Sakura felt so free.  
  
"Kinomoto-san?" Emiko's voice asked, bringing her back to the present.  
  
Sakura blinked and realized that she was face to face with Daisuke's   
mother. She took a breath and then said, "Konbanwa Niwa-san." as she   
took a bow.  
  
"So formal." Emiko said with smile. "Sit down, can I call you Sakura-  
san?"  
  
Sakura sat down and blinked at Emiko's forward question. She   
smiled, "Hai." she felt nervous. She had no idea what to say to the   
mother of her boyfriend.  
  
"My son hasn't mentioned much of you I'm afraid."  
  
"We've only been together for six months." Sakura answered as if that   
was the right answer.  
  
Emiko nodded. "You met my son when he first arrived?"  
  
Sakura blushed, "Yes, at a gymnastics meet. I was watching my   
roommates."  
  
Emiko smiled. "My son has a way with people."  
  
"I think I met your father." Emiko said as they ordered. "He is an   
archeology professor right?"  
  
Sakura nodded, "Yes, he's very interested in Eurpoean artifacts right   
now."  
  
Emiko smiled, "Who isn't these days? They carry an almost magical   
appeal. Don't you think?"  
  
Sakura fiddled with her napkin, "I suppose so, I'm an engineering   
major. The appeal is a bit lost on me."  
  
Emiko smiled, "Old artifacts are beautiful works of art."  
  
Sakura smiled, "Yes, Daisuke can't help but get absorbed into art   
history whenever we visit a museum."  
  
Emiko leaned forward a bit, "I have to ask," she said in a hushed   
voice, "what do you think of my son?"  
  
Sakura's eyes softened, "He means a lot to me Niwa-san." she lowered   
her gaze to her lap and said, "Its been a while since I could find   
someone I felt I could trust."  
  
"Judging from the way he looked at you last night, I'd say he thinks   
the same." Emiko said with a smile.  
  
Sakura blushed. "Thank you."  
  
"My son is very selfless. He will do almost anything to make the   
people he cares for happy. Sometimes in that process he hurts   
himself." Emiko said as she moved her coffee cup to let the waitress   
set the soup down.  
  
Sakura nodded.  
  
"Which is why I'd like to note that Daisuke means the world to me.   
He's very special, to see him hurt is very difficult on a mother."  
  
Sakura kept nodding.  
  
"Daisuke mentioned that he learned judo at home. Do you have a   
school?" Sakura said as she took a sip of her soup.  
  
"Its a family tradition passed on from generation to generation."   
Emiko said, "We Niwas believe that a well rounded education is   
essential to getting through life."  
  
Sakura nodded.  
  
"Daisuke was not only schooled in judo, but in karate, kenpo,   
gymnastics."  
  
"So much?" Sakura said amazed.  
  
Emiko smiled, "He was naturally athletic you could say."  
  
"Oh..." Sakura said as she stirred her soup.  
  
"Sakura-san."  
  
Sakura looked up at Emiko, "Yes?"  
  
"Do you trust my son?" she asked.  
  
Sakura opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by the waitress   
setting their meals down. She looked at her plate of raviolli and   
looked back up at Emiko, "As much as he trusts me."  
  
======  
  
"Sakura!" Daisuke exclaimed when she arrived at his door. "What did I   
forget that made you come all the way here suddenly?"  
  
She looked up at him with a soft smile. "Nothing." she whispered.  
  
Daisuke smiled and took her hand. He led her, past Kentarou and his   
game playing, to his room where they sat down on his bed. Sakura   
curled up on the bed instead pulling Daisuke down next to her.  
  
"Something wrong?"  
  
Sakura shook her head.  
  
"Sakura if there's some-"  
  
"Shhhh." she said as she pulled his arms around her waist as if his   
arms were a blanket. Daisuke complied and pulled her close to him.   
They lay there in silence. Daisuke wondered what prompted her to do   
such a thing, but there was a bone settling comfort in the way Sakura   
wrapped his arms around her. He realized that he wanted to hold her   
in his arms forever, to stay like this forever.  
  
"Daisuke..." she said in a breathless whisper after a long moment of   
silence.  
  
"Yes?" he asked.  
  
"I love you." she whispered.  
  
He smiled and kissed her temple.  
  
"You don't have to say anything." she said softly and slowly. "Just   
know that I love you."  
  
He pulled her closer to him, "Thank you."  
  
After another moment of silence, he whispered, "I think..." he   
listened to her rhythmic breathing, "Sakura?" he looked down at her   
and almost laughed. She had fallen asleep in his arms.  
  
/So how are you going to answer?/  
  
/What do you think?/  
  
/I think you should say yes but you knew that since she came today./  
  
Daisuke smiled as he pulled a blanket over the both of them, "I don't   
deserve this. How did I get a second chance?" he whispered.  
  
/Even if it was mother that decided to play match maker./  
  
/You knew?/  
  
/Of course. I'm not as naïve as I was back then. I know she meant   
well. No doubt mother wanted to know about the Clow Card Mistress.   
Who wouldn't want to meet Sakura? She captures everybody's attention   
when she enters a room. I'm so lucky to have her./  
  
/Don't question what is before you Daisuke. Just accept it and claim   
it before it goes away. Thank whoever it was that let you have this   
chance./  
  
"Oh I do. I do." Daisuke whispered as he fell asleep next to Sakura  
  
----------------------  
Notes  
  
+ I forgot to mention one thing from Ch 11. The scene where Sakura   
takes Daisuke's hand, I sort of borrowed that from Kareshi Kanojo no   
Jijyo (KareKano). In Karekano Yukino doesn't know what to do about   
her feelings for Arima. She sees his hand dangling in the air   
underneath the table next to his chair. So she takes his hand and   
Arima realizes what happened and turns tomato red. ^^ This scene is   
also used in a manga I read called Mekakushi no Kuni where a guy   
named Arou shows that he has feelings for Kanade by taking her hand   
as they walk home. Kanade turns bright red. ^^ Errr yeah. That was a   
bit long.  
  
+ I wanted to include more DNAngel characters in the story so after I   
had written the original version I went back and inserted characters   
here and there. (Hiwatari Satoshi isn't in this fic unfortunately. I   
don't think I could handle a Krad/Dark fight with Sakura involved.   
Satoshi being in the same area as Dark = a fight between Krad and   
Dark. Throw in the Card Captor and eeee feathers will fly.)  
  
So I added Emiko because she plays a major role in the DNAngel manga   
and she'd want to check up on her son anyways. ^_~ Sakura on the   
other hand hasn't seen her family since her fall out with Shaoran.  
  
+ This is being archived at Fanfic.net (its the most up to date aside   
from the ML archives) the url for previous chapters is:  
http://www.fanfiction.net/index.fic?action=story-read&storyid=305175  
if fanfic.net is down (odds: 1 in 2) not so up to date chapters:  
http://doki-doki.org/fanfic/ccs/  
  
+ I will be also reposting the first two-three chapters, they have   
been edited and re-written a bit. (Thanks to Meg's comments on   
Daisuke's character.)  
  
Uhhh that's it I think. ^^;;  
  
Eriol: When is it my turn?  
Steph: ^^;;; Sorry I forgot about you  
Eriol: ;_;  
  
So many fic ideas so little time. ^^;;  



	13. Final Truths

XIII - Final Truths   
-------------------   
  
The sound of a phone ring woke up Sakura. "Guhhhhh." she moaned as   
she blinked into the the dark room.   
  
The phone kept ringing.   
  
Sakura shivered, it had gotten cold in the room. She felt an arm wrap   
around her waist and pull her closer to his body.   
  
Sakura pressed close to his body, he was warm. She blushed   
remembering what happened. She had confessed to Daisuke and fallen   
asleep before she could hear his answer.   
  
/If he had any answer at all./ she thought. She twined her fingers   
with his.   
  
The phone kept ringing.   
  
"Uhghhhhhhhh." Daisuke muttered, "Can't Kentarou pick that up?" he   
groaned groggily. His hand slipped from hers as he ran his hand   
through his hair.   
  
Sakura stayed quiet, she was unsure what to say to the man she had   
just confessed to.   
  
His cellphone went off.   
  
He reached for the phone on his bedside table. "Hello?" he groaned   
into the phone. "Saga-san." he said with a sigh. "Tomorrow?"   
  
Sakura winced, tomorrow was their night together.   
  
"I can't." he said. "What? Yes you just woke me up. I have to study   
tomorrow, I already have plans with my girlfriend. Sorry. Yes I do   
have a life Saga-san. You should try to get one yourself. Yes I'll be   
in for work the day after. Yes, I know about the project. See you   
then." he turned his phone off. "There silent mode." he muttered. He   
wrapped his arm around Sakura and pulled her closer.   
  
Sakura squeaked.   
  
He chuckled, "Did I wake you up?" he asked his breath tickling her   
ear.   
  
"No." she said. "The phone did. I hope tomorrow's plans didn't keep   
you away from work." she said.   
  
"No. Speaking of tomorrow..." he said with a sigh. He sat up.   
  
Sakura sat up afraid.   
  
/Oh... now I've done it, I said it too early. He's going to cancel   
plans. He said he had to study.../   
  
"I was thinking instead of pizza we could go for a really nice   
dinner."   
  
Sakura's eyes widened.   
  
"What?" he asked waking up.   
  
She laughed.   
  
He looked bewildered. "What?" he asked rubbing the sleep out of his   
eyes.   
  
Sakura fell over laughing. She pointed upward.   
  
"What?" he asked again.   
  
"Your... hair!" she exclaimed.   
  
He turned to look at the mirror on the closet door. One half was   
matted down. He laughed.   
  
"Well you look sleep worn." he said.   
  
Sakura sat up again and her laughter died down.   
  
"I'm glad I make you laugh." he said, "I love hearing you laugh."   
  
She blushed.   
  
He held her hands and whispered in her ear, "Its one of the things I   
love about you."   
  
Even in the fading sunlight he could see Sakura blush even more. He   
smiled.   
  
"So about that dinner." he said as he looked down at their   
hands. "Where do you want to go?"   
  
"Anywhere you want." she said, her voice wavering a bit. He looked up   
to see her eyes shimmering. He smiled.   
  
-----   
  
"Daisuke." she said softly.   
  
He looked up from his work and smiled, "What a sight." he said. "You   
certainly brighten up my day."   
  
Sakura smiled back at him. "I wanted to ask you something so I came   
by." her Saga guest tag flashed at him.   
  
"That's sweet, you could have just called." he said.   
  
She blushed, "I wanted to see you so I came instead." Her eyes had a   
mischievous glint, almost as if she had something up her sleeve.   
  
"A-and th-that would be?" he stammered.   
  
"Can you keep Sunday open?" she said as she leaned on the desk.   
  
He nodded. "I'll ask Saga-san and see if I can. When Sunday?"   
  
Her eyes looked serious for a moment as she nodded, "Afternoon." she   
said. "We'll be going for a special picnic." her eyes returned to a   
happy look.   
  
"Where will we be going?" he asked curious.   
  
She smiled slyly and gave him a kiss on his lips. "That's my secret,   
just wear something warm this Sunday okay?"   
  
His brain never functioned when Sakura turned seductive like   
this. "Uhhhh sure." he said.   
  
/Well luckily the office is used to this sort of thing between you   
two./ Dark said.   
  
/Uhh.../   
  
/You're no help./ Dark muttered.   
  
Daisuke smiled dumbly at her, his eyes half shut.   
  
She laughed, "Silly, snap out of it."   
  
He blinked.   
  
"Remember," she said as she stood up, "Sunday."   
  
"Wait..." he said in half whisper.   
  
"Hmmm?" she asked.   
  
"Kiss me again."   
  
She laughed again and kissed him. "Now go back to work." she   
whispered.   
  
"One more."   
  
"No." she said. "Go back to work or else I'll tell Keiji-san." she   
wagged her finger.   
  
"No, no, that's not necessary. I'm working. I'm working." he said as   
he shuffled papers.   
  
She smiled and let him go back to his work. He watched her leave the   
office.   
  
"Sakura-chan!" Keiji called.   
  
"Konbanwa Keiji-san." Sakura said as she waved to his boss. They   
started talking a bit. Daisuke looked up from his papers and admired   
how her smile seemed to light up the room.   
  
/Oh god, you're so bad... this was as bad as Riku./   
  
/I think I'm in love.../   
  
/Heh, I knew that before you even said it./   
  
/What do you think she wants to do on Sunday?/   
  
/A picnic, what else?/ Dark said.   
  
Daisuke thought for a moment about her request. They had been going   
out for a year now, he had a year more to go before he graduated.   
Sakura had a semester. He was enjoying their relationship. At first   
Sakura was unsure of what to do and how to say things, he patiently   
let her do it her way.   
  
/After all.../ he thought, /She had been so close to marrying   
Shaoran./   
  
Their relationship slowly but surely settled into one of routine. Not   
that he minded it, it was a sign that they were a solid couple.   
  
/And a cute one at that./ Dark said.   
  
/Shush./ Daisuke said back feeling his face flush at the thought.   
  
Sakura was honest about everything and anything. She was not afraid   
to voice her opinions. It took her a bit of courage at times and a   
few tries but she slowly learned that her words and actions were not   
going to drive him away... yet.   
  
But he waited patiently for the day that she would tell him her real   
truth.   
  
/And then.../ Dark said, /We can tell her about us./   
  
Daisuke nodded.   
  
/And then there would truly be no more hiding./   
  
/Let's hope she'll accept the truth.../ Dark said.   
  
-----   
  
"So..." Ran said as she watched Sakura put things in a   
basket. "You're going to finally tell him?"   
  
"Yes." she said, "I think I'm ready."   
  
Ran nodded. "After a year of dating him I'd say its alright."   
  
Sakura nodded. "I think so." she looked up at Ran, "He's so special."   
she said, "I don't want to lose him, I've wanted to tell him for so   
long, but I wasn't sure and the time wasn't right."   
  
Ran smiled at her, "I'm sure when he finds out that he'll be   
accepting. He doesn't strike me as the kind of person that won't at   
least give it a try."   
  
Sakura smiled at Ran, "This is why you're my friend."   
  
Ran laughed, "And I thought it was because I refused to make   
costumes."   
  
-----   
  
Sakura made Daisuke drive to a park for the picnic dinner. They ate   
sitting next to a lake. Daisuke noticed that she didn't say much nor   
did she eat much.   
  
"Sakura?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"   
  
"No." she said, "I'm just not so hungry. I feel bad since I made this   
great dinner and all."   
  
He took her bento box from her hands and her chopsticks. "Its   
alright, we can save it for later."   
  
She nodded.   
  
"I appreciate this, its very relaxing." he said.   
  
She looked up at him, "Really?"   
  
He nodded.   
  
She smiled, "Oh good." she said.   
  
"We could be eating take out at your apartment doing homework and I'd   
still think that's romantic." he said.   
  
She blushed.   
  
"That's because I'm with you and that's what a matters most." he said.   
  
"You really mean that?" she asked.   
  
"I do." he said.   
  
She put the covers on the boxes and put them in the basket.   
  
"Sakura?" he asked.   
  
She stood up and held her hand out. "Let's go."   
  
"Where?"   
  
She turned to him, "I want to show you something."   
  
"The stars?"   
  
She paused, "You could say that." she said.   
  
He took her hand and stood up. She led him to a place in the woods.   
  
"This is pretty, but wouldn't it be hard to see stars through the   
trees?"   
  
She didn't say much until she reached a clearing. Then she turned and   
smiled at him, "A while back you asked me if I believed in magic."   
  
He smiled back, "Yes." he said.   
  
"Were you serious about that question?" she asked.   
  
He paused for a moment, the look in her eyes bordered on   
apprehension. "As serious as I could be about magic." he said.   
  
"Well..." she said turning away. "I want to show you something." she   
looked over her shoulder at him, "Promise you won't say anything   
until I'm done?"   
  
"Of course." he said.   
  
"Stay there." she said and took a few steps away from him.   
  
He sat on the tree stump near by. He knew what she was going to   
do. 'I hope she'll have the same compassion as I will about her magic   
as she will when she finds out about Dark.' he thought.   
  
-----   
  
Sakura turned, her hands clasped around her key. 'Please let him   
understand.' she prayed.   
  
She held the key out away from her at arm's length and began to say   
the words that were part of her for so long.   
  
"Yami no chikara o himeshi kagi yo! Shin no sugata o ware no mae ni   
shime se keiyaku no moto sakura ga meijiru-- release!"   
  
The key grew into her wand, and as the wind and residual magic   
floated back down to the ground she looked at Daisuke who was sitting   
on the stump.   
  
  
  
Daisuke tried not to smile, he had never seen her wand or her   
transformation before. He had only seen her magic in action. The wind   
spiraled upwards picking up her hair and clothes. Her coat flapping   
upwards.   
  
She opened her eyes as she looked at him, the wind dying down around   
her, the magic floating towards the ground like a beautiful halo.   
  
'Yes. She's the one.' he thought.   
  
  
  
She lowered the wand and looked down, "I have a confession," she   
whispered, "I'm a magician. I control magic that is contained in   
these cards." she fished out a card from her pocket. "I know its not   
what you were expecting me to tell you. But... but I trust you!" she   
exclaimed. "I don't want to lose you!"   
  
He stood up and walked towards her. "I have a confession to make   
too." he said. He took her hands in his, so they both held the   
wand. "Promise you won't say anything either." he said.   
  
She nodded her heart in her throat. Daisuke hadn't said anything.   
Worry ran through her veins. Was he going to run away?   
  
He closed his eyes and took a step back. He opened an eye and   
smiled, "A bit dramatic ne?" he chuckled.   
  
Sakura smiled back, tension dispelled.   
  
As soon as she smiled, he changed. A flash of light and a darkening   
of hair as it grew longer. He opened his eyes and looked at her.   
  
Sakura covered her mouth with her hands.   
  
Dark smiled a little sheepishly. "So you see... we both had secrets."   
  
Sakura made her wand turn back into her key.   
  
"Yes." she said.   
  
"I like you." he said, "And so does Daisuke."   
  
Sakura smiled, "Is Daisuke... awake?"   
  
He smiled, "Yes, he's very happy right now. You finally trusted him   
enough to tell him about being the Card Captor Mistress."   
  
Sakura chuckled, she cupped his face, "He has a lot of explaining to   
do."   
  
"So do you." he said as he tugged on her key.   
  
Her eyes turned serious, "I thought I'd never find someone that would   
accept me."   
  
"When Daisuke lost Riku he thought the same." he said.   
  
Sakura nodded. No cards to hide, just another personality. But then   
again...   
  
"So..." Dark said, "Do you accept the both of us?"   
  
Sakura nodded. She kissed him. She opened her eyes and let her gaze   
settle in Daisuke's. "You knew and didn't say anything?"   
  
He smiled softly, "I waited until you were comfortable with me. I   
wanted you to tell me."   
  
"You're not mad that I kept this from you?" she whispered.   
  
He silently shook his head.   
  
"Oh." was all she could say.   
  
"I never thought I'd meet someone else like me." he said, "What were   
the chances of meeting someone else that would understand Dark and I?   
I thought I'd have to go through the whole explanation process but...   
when you took your mask off that night..." he trailed off and looked   
at her with wide eyes as if to say, /You were the answer to my   
loneliness./   
  
She nodded, her eyes looking up at him absolutely understanding   
everything he was telling her. "I felt the same way." she whispered.   
  
Daisuke looked at her, "I don't want to lose you either." he said, "I   
love you a lot." he said with a lopsided grin, "I love you so much,   
that I'm risking a lot to say that when all this college madness is   
over, I hope to marry you."   
  
Sakura stared at him with wide eyes.   
  
"Only if you want to that is." he said quickly, "I can wait as long   
as it takes, we can wait and see and then- because I've never felt so   
sure of something like this-"   
  
"Cards and all?" Sakura interrupted him, her eyes sparkling from the   
tears that threatened to fall.   
  
He nodded, "Cards and all."   
  
She threw her arms around his neck.   
  
--------------   
Notes:   
1) Long awaited chapter. ^^ But things aren't over yet. I have a few more   
chapters of tortur- errr angst for Daisuke and Sakura.   
  
2) I got a With plushie! =D Not that that's fic related, but he's sitting   
next to my talking Kerochan, they look adorable together. ^^   
  
3) this is how I expect Daisuke would reveal his "secret" to Sakura. In the   
DNANgel manga they imply that Dark will go away when Daisuke reveals   
his secret to the one he loves. I'm guessing that Dark goes away completely   
which is kind of sad. Oh well. 


	14. Reshape the Heart - Riku

-----   
XIV - Reshape the Heart - Riku   
-----   
  
Daisuke looked at her hands, "Soon." he whispered.   
  
"Soon?" Sakura asked confused.   
  
"There will be a ring on that hand." he said.   
  
She blushed.   
  
Since that night when they both revealed their secrets to each other   
Daisuke felt as if life was finally on track. Every time he looked at   
her he'd see someone that knew what he was thinking what he felt.   
  
/And I'm going to marry her./ Daisuke thought absolutely giddy at the   
thought. He remembered that night a few weeks ago. Sakura had wrapped   
her arms around his neck and she said in a broken breath, "Yes."   
after which she cried on his shoulder. Daisuke held her as she cried   
her heart out. He felt the same way, as if a weight had been lifted   
off his chest.   
  
"What's the goofy grin for?" Sakura asked as they walked to his   
apartment.   
  
"I was thinking about the day we introduced Kerochan to With." he   
lied.   
  
Sakura laughed. "I remember that day. Kerochan was angry that I   
pulled him away from Ran's apartment. He made me promise him cake."   
  
Daisuke grinned, "I'll never forget the expression on his face when   
he saw cute With sitting on the table with a plate of takoyaki in   
front of him."   
  
Sakura smiled.   
  
Daisuke wrapped an arm around her waist as they rode up the elevator   
to his floor.   
  
"They're inseparable now." she said when they entered his apartment.   
  
"Heh With wrote me note." Daisuke said as he held up a scribbled   
paper, "He's at Ran's playing video games."   
  
Sakura smiled.   
  
"I'm glad With can go to Ran's." Daisuke said, "I feel bad when I   
leave him here in the apartment." He shuffled through the mail on the   
kitchen counter.   
  
"Well he can come visit Kerochan now." Sakura said.   
  
"Yeah..." Daisuke said. He frowned at a letter and turned it over,   
his hand hovering on the flap. He finally opened it in one quick   
pull. His eyes scanned the contents of the letter and his face fell.   
Daisuke reached for the ring around his neck, pulling it off his head   
and staring at it.   
  
"Daisuke?" Sakura asked concerned. She took one of his hands.   
  
Sakura felt him slip from her grasp. "Daisuke?"   
  
"I need to be alone." he said softly.   
  
Sakura looked hurt and left quietly.   
  
Daisuke stared at the ring in his hand and brought it to his lips.   
  
"Harada-san is coming." he whispered.   
  
Suddenly the door burst open, Daisuke looked up to see Sakura   
marching up to him.   
  
"Sakura-" he said getting angry.   
  
"Daisuke." she said seriously.   
  
"Yes?" he asked startled.   
  
"I'm going to marry you right?"   
  
He nodded slowly, "Well that's what we planned." he said.   
  
"Then why won't you let me help you?" she asked.   
  
"I need some time alone." he said.   
  
"Why won't you let me understand Harada-san!?" she exclaimed.   
  
Daisuke looked at Sakura. She looked angry.   
  
"Daisuke..." she said, "I love you..." tears fell from her eyes, "but   
I feel as if I will always be second to Riku!"   
  
He dropped the letter and the ring, "Sakura of course not!" he   
exclaimed. He took her in his arms.   
  
Sakura cried on his chest. "I don't think of you the same way." she   
sniffled, "Why do you love me second?"   
  
"Its not true." he whispered as he kissed her head, "Have you been   
thinking this all along?"   
  
She looked up at him and shook her head, "Not all the time."   
  
"Good." he said as he rose an eyebrow, "At least you know me well   
enough." he ran his fingers through her hair, "Sakura... about this   
time of the year is Riku's anniversary." he said softly.   
  
"Oh!" she exclaimed as she wiped her tears away.   
  
"Harada Risa-san," Daisuke said, "is Riku's twin sister. She asked to   
meet me to give me some things that belonged to Riku since I couldn't   
tend to her grave." he said softly, "Letting her see me is the least   
I can do."   
  
Sakura looked up at him wide eyed.   
  
He smiled down at her, "I love Riku, I always will," he kissed her   
tears away, "but she understood that life had to go on. I love you   
because you understand."   
  
Sakura cried again.   
  
"Sakura?" he asked worried that he said the wrong thing.   
  
She took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears. She smiled up at him   
and said, "Take all the time you need. Just remember I'm here if you   
need me" she kissed him, "I'm sorry I was so insensitive."   
  
Daisuke kissed her, "I don't ask every girl I meet to marry me." he   
said. "I hope this is the first and last."   
  
Sakura sniffled and leaned against him.   
  
"Besides," he said, "you can magically grow wings, how many flying   
people are there in the world? We need to stick together."   
  
Sakura laughed.   
  
+-----+   
  
"Niwa-kun."   
  
Daisuke turned and for a moment, his chest constricted in finite   
pain. For a moment Riku stood before him and as quickly as it came,   
the pain went away and Risa stood before him. She was holding a bag.   
  
"Harada-san." he whispered.   
  
"Its been a while." she said.   
  
"Yes." he said.   
  
"I was..." Risa stopped, her gaze shifting.   
  
Daisuke followed her gaze and turned to see Sakura walking up the   
path.   
  
"Sakura." he whispered.   
  
Risa looked up at him questioningly.   
  
Sakura smiled at him, "Hello." she said. She stopped short when she   
saw the girl standing next to him.   
  
"Harada Risa." she said with a bow.   
  
Sakura bowed back, "Kinomoto Sakura." she said.   
  
She turned to Daisuke, "I was in the area. I wanted to pay a visit. I   
see you're busy Niwa-kun, so I'll just leave these with you." she   
handed the bag to Daisuke, bowed to the both of them and walked away.   
  
Daisuke watched as Risa walked away, shaken. He looked down at Sakura   
who also was looking at her.   
  
"She's Riku-san's sister?"   
  
Daisuke nodded. "Twin sister." he said.   
  
She looked up at him, "If you need some time I can-"   
  
He took her in his arms.   
  
Sakura squeaked.   
  
"I need you." he said.   
  
"Hai..." was all she could say. Daisuke smiled, /You don't know how   
much/ he thought.   
  
"Let's go upstairs." he whispered in her ear as he nipped it.   
  
"Uhh okay..." she said her breath hitching. He chuckled at the   
nervousness in her voice. He looked at her and winked, "You know I   
won't do that."   
  
Sakura blushed and looked away as they walked to the elevator.   
  
"Oh!" she said. "Kerochan wanted to know if you had the latest Saga   
game out."   
  
Daisuke smiled, "They sent it to me." he said. "He'll have to wait   
until Kentarou finishes beating it."   
  
Sakura laughed. Kentarou was known for his all night gaming   
hours. "Kero is so indebted to you once he found you worked for Saga."   
  
"That was a long time ago." he said, "When they hired me while I was   
in high school. I remember they wanted me and Dark to appear in the   
same commercial. They had no idea what they were asking."   
  
Sakura laughed. "I'm glad they never asked the Card Captor to do   
that." she said.   
  
They smiled at each other knowing they could both relate to their   
alternate lives. Sakura felt her heart swell, /He knows so much of me   
with out any explanation. How could I be so lucky?/ She felt his hand   
take hers and give it a squeeze his eyes saying the same thing. She   
blushed again. But something about Harada-san bugged her.   
  
"Daisuke." she whispered.   
  
"Yes?" he asked as they walked into his room.   
  
"I-" she stopped.   
  
He turned, Sakura was sitting on his bed, her face serious her eyes   
dark green with thought. He sat next to her, wrapping an arm around   
her and letting his face rest in her hair. He breathed in her scent.   
Flowery and at the same time smelling like sandalwood. It was these   
little things that he loved about her, he realized.   
  
"Harada-san." she whispered.   
  
He took another deep breath of her scent and let his head rest on her   
shoulder.   
  
"Did Riku-san look like Risa-san?" she asked after a moment of   
hesitation.   
  
He closed his eyes, "Yes." he said, "But Risa was much more   
fashionable. Riku thought dresses were impractical things sometimes."   
  
"Does it bother you that Risa-san looks like Riku-san?" she asked.   
  
"At first," he said, "when Riku died... looking at Risa would re-tear   
the wounds in my soul. That's why I transferred to Toudai. I wanted   
to get away from my life. Everything reminded me of Riku."   
  
"I'm sorry if I'm asking." she whispered.   
  
"Its all right." he said, "Its not so bad." he kissed her hair. He   
looked down at her, "Does it make you uncomfortable?"   
  
She shook her head and smiled up at him, "You deal with your ghosts   
your own way." she said.   
  
He smiled and kissed her forehead, "Or at least I think I've dealt   
with them, dealt with them enough to have a normal life."   
  
He laughed when he heard Sakura mutter under her breath, "I've   
learned the hard way that life is never normal."   
  
He held her face and looked down at her, "This is why I love you." he   
said.   
  
Her eyes went bright, "Why?" she looked pleased that her comment got   
such a remark out of him.   
  
He smiled down at her and said, "Because, we are two of the most un-   
normal people on earth-" each word punctuated by a kiss.   
  
"-with two un-normal lives." she said as she tried to kiss him back   
but failing because he was everywhere at once dropping kisses about   
her face.   
  
"Yes." he said, the emotion in his voice matching the sentiment in   
her heart.   
  
Their lips met.   
  
--------------------   
+ 3 more chapters to go. To be honest it could end the way it did in   
chapter 13 but I think it leaves some loose strings. I can't let   
Daisuke and Sakura get away with a settled relationship.   
  
+ I think Sakura is a bit out of character here, I may rewrite the   
letter/door part.   
  
+ Don't Sakura and Daisuke emit waves of waffy-ness? ^^ Its so cute!   
(its okay to gag at the waffyness ^^;;) 


	15. Reshape the Heart II - Shaoran

-----------------------------------   
XV - Reshape the Heart II - Shaoran   
-----------------------------------   
  
Daisuke was bored, he was reading a book he had to finish for class   
but he was not interested in the heinan history of poetry. He glanced   
at the other side of the couch where Sakura was curled up in the   
corner working on engineering problems.   
  
He smiled, ever since she revealed her secret to him he felt as if he   
had unlocked a part of her that he could never touch. Before when she   
kissed it was as if she wanted to give him herself but always held   
back. Her kisses took on a sort of desperate tone lingering at the   
end.   
  
But now...   
  
He took the tassel on the corner of the pillow and brushed it up and   
down her barefoot.   
  
"Daisuke..." she said her eyes not moving from her book.   
  
"Yes?" he asked as he dragged the tassel along her toes and back down   
over the arch of the foot.   
  
"Is there something you want?"   
  
"You could try guessing."   
  
She turned to him and said, "I have no idea, please tell me."   
  
He smiled at her and said, "You." and launched himself at her.   
  
"Kyaa!" she exclaimed with laughter.   
  
"I was so bored." he managed to say before their lips met.   
  
Sakura laughed and let her hands slip into his hair and his lips   
caught hers again and what seemed like forever passed before they   
broke apart their breaths uneven.   
  
/I love you./ her eyes seemed to say. He nodded in reply.   
  
"All of you." she whispered as she reached up to him and kissed him   
again. Daisuke wrapped his arms around her, one hand traveling up the   
side of her body. Sakura pushed her books off the couch and settled   
down underneath him.   
  
He stopped letting his hand rest on her stomach and just kissed her.   
Kissing her now was amazing, free, as if he was the only one she   
wanted to kiss. No words described the amazing feeling of flying when   
he kissed her. They broke apart again and he let his head rest on her   
chest.   
  
"Daisuke..." she whispered.   
  
"Hmm?"   
  
"Can- can we have the wedding in Tomoeda?" she asked. "Would your   
mother object... because its important to me."   
  
"I don't see why not." he said.   
  
"Are you sure?" she asked.   
  
"I think so, I doubt my mother would object, if its important that we   
marry in Tomoeda I won't object."   
  
Her chest fell as she let out a breath.   
  
"And... and... can we live in Tomoeda?" she asked.   
  
"Well..." he said, "it depends on how far it is from Saga."   
  
"Ahh." she said.   
  
"And from your job when you get one." he said as he let his fingers   
play with the buttons on her shirt, unbuttoning them buttoning them   
again.   
  
"But I'm sure we can find a happy medium." he said.   
  
"Of course." she said.   
  
"Sakura..." he said.   
  
"Yes?"   
  
He shifted so that he was laying on his back and Sakura was on top of   
him. She looked down at him confused, "yes?" she asked again.   
  
"I need...." he did not know how to pose the question.   
  
"Is this about Dark?" she asked.   
  
He nodded. "I want to know if you want... I... I need a son." he said   
in a defeated manner. He couldn't find a way to pose the question   
with out sounding stupid.   
  
She smiled at him with a blush. "Well that's up to mother nature."   
  
He smiled back. "True, but if we do have a son... I want him to take   
on the family tradition, but I wanted to make sure that it was all   
right with you."   
  
She smiled as she kissed him, "I wouldn't imagine it any other way,   
Dark would be a good guide for him when he reaches that age."   
  
He smiled back.   
  
"Our children will hate us for forcing them into situations they   
won't like." she said as she let her head rest on his shoulder.   
  
"But they'll appreciate it later when it finds them someone special."   
  
"Yes." she said.   
  
"What about the cards?" he asked.   
  
"They're mine." she said. "That magic belongs to me, I can will them   
to anybody I want but they have to make that magic their own."   
  
"What strange parents we'll be." he whispered, "Your magic and my   
DNA."   
  
She laughed, "No stranger than any parent I bet."   
  
He laughed back and kissed her.   
  
  
  
  
"No! No!" Sakura exclaimed as she tried to escape Daisuke's grasp.   
  
He laughed as he caught up to her and grabbed her around the waist.   
Sakura laughed as she tried to escape his arms. "I'm not that bad at   
bladeing!"   
  
"We're going to fall over!" she exclaimed.   
  
"No we aren't- whoooooah!"   
  
"Sakura! Daisuke!" Ran exclaimed as she ran towards them.   
  
Sakura gasped raising her arms as she fell to the ground. Daisuke   
folded her into his arms as they went down. They rolled off the   
concrete and into the grass.   
  
"Sakura?" he asked as he looked down at her.   
  
"I-"   
  
"Sakura!" Daisuke was pushed away as another man came between   
them. "Are you alright?"   
  
Sakura blinked the spots away from her eyes. Her vision cleared as   
she focused on a face she hadn't seen in three years. For a moment   
she was brought back to high school. She reached for his face and   
stopped. "Shaoran?" she whispered surprised.   
  
"You alright?" he asked as he picked her up off the ground.   
  
"Yes, I'm fine, just shaken up." she said. "I can stand."   
  
He let her down.   
  
"Daisuke!" she exclaimed looking around.   
  
"Here." he said as he stood next to her.   
  
Sakura turned to him and smiled warmly, "Hurt badly?"   
  
"No." he said with a smile, "Just a few bruises."   
  
Someone cleared their throat. Sakura quickly looked at Shaoran. "Hoe?   
What are you doing here?"   
  
  
  
  
Sakura had cleaned herself up, dressed some minor cuts and pulled on   
clean clothes. Daisuke was sitting outside with Ran. She took a deep   
breath as she tried to steady her hands. Shaoran was back and sitting   
on her couch.   
  
"You look good." she said as she made iced tea.   
  
"Thank you." he said simply. He wore a grey suit, the shirt   
unbuttoned at the top, black boots. His brown hair was cut to   
something more conservative. He looked very 'together'.   
  
'Of course he's probably running the Li family by now.' Sakura   
thought. She was glad that her hands had something to do. It kept   
them from shaking. Sakura was very confused. Out of no where Shaoran   
returned and found her in Toudai. She was surprised Tomoyo hadn't   
come along to film the experience.   
  
"So do you." he said, his eyes intensely demanding more than just   
small talk.   
  
"So not to be rude, but why are you here?"   
  
"Mei and I seperated." he said.   
  
"Oh?" she said as she poured tea. She spilled a bit on the   
counter. "I see." she said as she mopped up the tea with a sponge.   
She noted her hands were shaking. 'Why?' she asked herself, 'He no   
longer needed you.'   
  
"So I convinced my family to let me come to you." he said.   
  
Shaoran was sitting on the couch. He had grown taller since she last   
saw him. Sakura could tell by the way he folded himself into a   
comfortable sitting position on the couch, which was known for its   
droopy, soft spots. He let his arms rest on his knees as he looked up   
at her.   
  
"I came back for you." he said after a moment of silence.   
  
Sakura looked at him for a moment.   
  
"So things didn't work out with you and Mei?" she said backtracking.   
Things seemed to come at her all at once. She needed to think about   
this one step at a time.   
  
He shook his head, "No." he said, "My mother finally relented and let   
me come to you." he said. His tone spoke of impatience. She knew that   
he had been waiting, preparing for this moment.   
  
Sakura sighed as she crossed her arms infront of her chest. She   
leaned against the kitchen counter. Her eyes caught the flowers   
Daisuke had given her.   
  
"I was hoping we could work things out." Shaoran said. "Maybe not   
pick up where we left off, but start somewhere."   
  
"But I'm-"   
  
"I know." he said, "But I can't stand the fact that you are. I can't-   
I need to try."   
  
Sakura looked up from the flowers to Shaoran.   
  
"You expect me to drop everything and say, 'Alright! Let's start   
dating!'?" she asked.   
  
"No!" he exclaimed. "Just start slow... or... I don't know, I can   
wait. If you need time, or anything, I can do it. This time its not   
pressure," he said, "I just want you."   
  
Sakura sat down next to Shaoran and took his hands, "I don't think it   
will work." she said. She looked at the flowers, "I found someone   
else." she said.   
  
Shaoran looked hurt.   
  
"I had to move on." she whispered.   
  
  
  
  
"So do you know who he is?" Daisuke asked.   
  
"Not in person." Ran said, "I met Sakura after her breakup with   
Shaoran. I met her while ditching class. She was ditching too."   
  
"Ahhh." Daisuke said.   
  
Ran smiled at him, "Don't worry." she said, "She may be attached to   
her past but you're very important to her."   
  
Daisuke nodded, "I hope so."   
  
"Hello, where's Sakura?" Yuri called as she jogged over. She   
collapsed on the bench next to Daisuke with a sigh, "Ahhhh done. I   
love running in the spring."   
  
"Inside." Daisuke said a bit dully.   
  
"Oh?" she asked looking up at him.   
  
"With Shaoran." he said.   
  
Yuri's eyes widened. "But I thought he was engaged."   
  
Daisuke looked at the apartment. "I thought the same, but it seems   
like he wants her back."   
  
"You don't know that." she said.   
  
"He threw me off Sakura when we fell today. He picked her up in his   
arms and seemed to ignore everybody else."   
  
"That doesn't mean anything." Ran said as she closed her eyes.   
  
Yuri nodded, "Well I'm not surprised."   
  
"No?" Ran asked surprised.   
  
"No," Yuri said as she sat up, "See, Sakura and Shaoran were very   
much in love with each other. Well Sakura saw it that way." she   
glanced at Daisuke, "I'm sure she's told you her story."   
  
Daisuke nodded.   
  
"I knew Shaoran when he attended Toudai. He was always around Sakura   
and it seemed that they would marry." Yuri sighed, "But something   
happened and they fought, Shaoran wanted Sakura to return to Hong   
Kong with him. Sakura couldn't bear to leave Japan, not so soon in   
her life."   
  
"They fought about it off and on, Sakura and Shaoran were very   
complimentary for each other, it was as if they were made for each   
other."   
  
Daisuke felt his confidence waver. "I see..."   
  
"Until one day Shaoran came to the apartment and asked her to marry   
him." Yuri said, "Naturally Sakura was excited to say yes, but the   
condition was that she had to leave Toudai and live with him in Hong   
Kong. She would naturally have all the freedom to study and visit,   
but once again she had to leave Japan."   
  
"Sakura didn't want to leave Japan. She had always expected that   
Shaoran would live here with her and when it was time to take over   
the Li Family they would return. But his family wanted him home. He   
was pressured to marry someone they had arranged or bring someone   
home." Yuri said."She felt herself being pressured too early into a   
marriage that she wanted. She had expected to grow and set her   
career."   
  
"Shaoran pressured her into something she couldn't do." Ran said   
sadly, Daisuke turned to Ran, she had her arms crossed across her   
chest, her eyes closed, leaning back against the bench. "Her memories   
of Shaoran and her childhood were always bitter sweet. She rarely   
spoke about her childhood but when she did they held so much   
happiness and so much pain at the same time. She loved Shaoran very   
much, he was her first love."   
  
"First loves die harder." Daisuke said sadly. "They always have the   
power to drag you back."   
  
"I'm sorry this isn't very optimistic." Yuri said, "But she loves   
you, she agreed to marry you, not Shaoran."   
  
Daisuke smiled, "Yes she did."   
  
  
  
  
"Moved... on?" Shaoran said.   
  
Sakura stood up and walked back to the kitchenette. "Yes. Things   
change, I changed." she said as she placed the glasses of iced tea on   
the tray. She looked out the window to see Yuri sitting next to Ran   
and Daisuke and added a glass. She wiped her sweaty palms on the dish   
cloth.   
  
"I see." he said.   
  
"Would you like to meet him?" Sakura asked as she walked to the door   
with the tray.   
  
"Not right now." he said.   
  
Sakura put the tray down on the counter and walked over to Shaoran,   
he was standing and looking out the window. Sakura looked out the   
same window.   
  
"Does he know?" he asked.   
  
Sakura nodded, "Yes," she said, "I never thought I'd find someone   
that would understand so well besides you." She closed her eyes for a   
moment then opened them again, "I don't deserve him, but I'm so glad   
to have him." she said softly.   
  
"I'm sorry." he said, "I wish I understood, I shouldn't have come."   
he turned to leave.   
  
"No!" Sakura exclaimed turning to him, "I'm glad you came." she   
caught his arm.   
  
Shaoran looked down at her, "You are?"   
  
"Yes." she said, "when we last talked, things ended so badly." she   
looked down, "I always regretted that."   
  
He smiled, "Me too."   
  
She looked up at him, "We may never be able to go back to the way   
things were." she said, "But we can be friends. You were my closest   
friend besides Tomoyo. I don't want to lose that."   
  
He shook his head, "I don't know..."   
  
Sakura turned away from him, "Think about it." she said. "We've been   
though too much to end things the way they are." she picked up her   
tray and walked out to give iced tea to her friends.   
  
  
  
  
'She's in there with her first love.' Daisuke thought. 'He's probably   
very understanding and doesn't morph into another personality. He   
probably understands her magic better than I ever could.'   
  
/I don't deserve you but I'm glad I have you./   
  
'She could leave me...' Daisuke thought as he slipped further and   
further into gloominess.   
  
"Sorry it took so long." Sakura's voice broke through his gloom.   
  
Daisuke looked up. Sakura walked across the quad towards them with a   
tray. She looked beautiful, faded jeans, white shirt, pink cardigan.   
He almost smiled at the change she had gone through. When he first   
met her she was very dark. Now her clothes reflected her happiness.   
Daisuke took a moment to selfishly note that he had a part in that   
happiness. The wind played with her hair and ruffled her cardigan.   
  
"Let me help you." Ran said as she got up. She turned to Yuri with   
the tray.   
  
Yuri smiled, "Let me help too." she got up and handed two glasses to   
Sakura and Daisuke. "You know..." Yuri said, "we need some snacks I'm   
starving."   
  
"I'll go with you." Ran said.   
  
Sakura wanted to groan about the unsubtle exit her two friends just   
did, but the embarrassment was outweighed by the grateful feeling of   
being alone with Daisuke, who looked apprehensive. Sakura turned to   
Daisuke. He looked up at her. "So..."   
  
She leaning towards him as she pushed her hair back behind her ears,   
she kissed him. "Silly," she said, "you think I'd forget all that   
you've done for me?"   
  
"Its just that he's-"   
  
"My first love?" she asked softly.   
  
He nodded.   
  
"He may be my first love, but you're the one I want." she said, "This   
may sound sappy and romantic, but its true. I mean it when I said   
that I don't deserve you but that I am glad that I have you."   
  
Daisuke grinned and kissed her back.   
  
"Shaoran didn't want to meet you, but hopefully some day he'll come   
around and see how good you are to me." she said as she sat next to   
him.   
  
"So that means you still want to marry me?" he asked in a half joking   
tone.   
  
She took his face in her hands and gave him a kiss that put those   
words to shame.   
  
"Sa-sakura!" he exclaimed turning red.   
  
She chuckled.   
  
---------------------   
+ 2 more chapters to go. Wheee~ ^^ To be honest this is the part of   
the fic I wasn't sure about. But I wanted to write a part of the   
story where Shaoran returns, Sakura has to face her ghosts before she   
moves on with Daisuke. I'm not sure if this is the right way. Oh   
well.   
  
+ next chapter: Shaoran meets Daisuke. (Ooooh) 


	16. Persuasion

XVI - Persuasion  
  
---------------  
  
Daisuke sat down on the bench with a sigh. He miraculously had some   
free time today when Keiji told him to take the day off. He decided   
to wait for Sakura to return home.  
  
"Excuse me."   
  
Daisuke looked up to see a man in a black jacket standing at the   
other end of the bench. He had dark brown hair and grey eyes. Daisuke   
noted a different look to his clothes that he normally didn't see   
around campus. The man wore a black jacket that was devoid of any   
ornaments except for a zipper and some velcro tabs. It stopped about   
mid thigh. Daisuke noted that the man looked familiar, he couldn't   
place where.  
  
"Mind if I sit down?" he asked.  
  
Daisuke nodded as he glanced at the other end of the bench in welcome.  
  
The man opened his coat so he could sit. Daisuke noted that the man   
liked black as the primary color choice in his clothes, a grey shirt   
and pair of black pants, his black boots were very shiny.  
  
They both stared out at the lake. Daisuke watched as a mother duck   
and her four ducklings waddled along the water's edge.  
  
"So you know about Sakura's clow cards." the man said after a moment   
of silence.  
  
Daisuke's eyes widened. He looked at the man again. He was looking   
back at Daisuke.  
  
Silence.  
  
"I'm sorry, I'm Li Shaoran." Shaoran stood up and bowed at Daisuke.  
  
Daisuke nodded, "Niwa Daisuke."  
  
"Want a drink?" Shaoran asked.  
  
Daisuke stood up, "Why not?" he noticed that Shaoran was looking at   
him. He wondered what he looked looked like in Shaoran's eyes.   
Daisuke was a bit on the thin side, a slight body, the kind that   
showed off sculpted muscles due to all the judo and karate he had   
learned as a kid. He wore dark jeans and a cream turtleneck sweater.   
His red hair fell every which way sometimes falling into his eyes,   
which he shook to the side.  
  
'Probably very scruffy and irresponsible looking.' Daisuke thought,   
amused, 'not good enough for Sakura.'  
  
"Know any good bars?" Shaoran asked.  
  
Daisuke nodded, "Come with me."  
  
A few minutes later they were sitting next to each other in a dark,   
quiet bar. It was in the middle of the day so bar traffic was low.   
The only noise breaking the silence was the clinking of glasses and   
faint piano music. It was a place Daisuke rarely came to considering   
it wasn't exactly a place where college students frequent in large   
groups.  
  
He sat at the bar itself, letting his elbows rest on the counter.  
  
Shaoran sat down next to him and ordered a drink.  
  
"I didn't think you were the drinking type." Daisuke said as he   
played with the coaster.  
  
"Things change." Shaoran said as he sipped his drink. "I don't do   
this often." he said, "But since running the family, I have to do   
some entertaining..."  
  
"This would have been the family Sakura would have married into?"  
  
Shaoran nodded as he put the glass down. "We're a family of   
magicians." he said. "We go as far back as the days when the Clow   
cards were created. The Clow Reed himself is one of my ancestors."  
  
"Ahhh I see." Daisuke said.  
  
"My family has its rules." Shaoran said, "Some may say that those   
rules are rigid, but its kept the family going for centuries."  
  
Daisuke turned to the bartender and ordered a drink. He had a feeling   
that this conversation was going to last for a while.  
  
"What about your family?" Shaoran asked.  
  
Daisuke shrugged, "We're a fairly normal family."he looked down at   
the coaster he had mangled.  
  
"I see." Shaoran said he took a sip of his drink. Daisuke pushed the   
small buzz of annoyance that he felt inside him. 'He's judging you.'   
He ignored his conscious.  
  
Daisuke took that moment to glance at Shaoran and went on a bit   
more. "The Niwa males all have a faulty DNA code that makes us turn   
into Dark Mousy when we turn fourteen. He's an infamous thief that   
steals various things from museums. Sometimes Dark Mousy would meet   
his rival, Krad who comes from the Hikari family. They change in the   
same way."  
  
Shaoran rose an eyebrow. "I've heard of him." he said, "He's recently   
popped up in the news too."  
  
Daisuke shrugged, "He's gone for the time being."  
  
"So all the males experience this?"  
  
Daisuke nodded.  
  
"I see why she says you understand her." Shaoran said.  
  
"Of course." Daisuke said as he thanked the bartender with a nod. He   
noted that the bartender also gave him a new coaster.  
  
"And the Hikari family, they aren't a problem?"  
  
Daisuke shook his head, "Not really."  
  
"Not really?"  
  
Daisuke took a sip of his drink.  
  
Shaoran did not ask any further which relieved Daisuke.  
  
"I won't let any harm come to her." Daisuke said. "My family trained   
me in various forms of martial arts. Since Dark was a thief I had to   
be trained as one."  
  
Shaoran nodded.  
  
"Have you met her family yet?"  
  
"Not yet." Daisuke said, "We will as soon as midterms are over and we   
have some time in the break."  
  
"I'd watch out for her brother." Shaoran said.  
  
Daisuke couldn't tell if Shaoran was helping him or judging him. He   
looked down at his drink irritated at the questions.  
  
"So how long have you known Sakura?" he asked.  
  
"Since grade school." Shaoran answered immediately.  
  
"Oh?"  
  
"I sat behind her when I first moved to Japan." he said, "I was sent   
to get the clow cards back at any cost." Shaoran said. "I loved her   
since then."  
  
Daisuke sighed.  
  
"You won't understand her like I do." Shaoran said before he took a   
drink. His eyes lowered.  
  
"You left her." Daisuke said as he pushed his empty glass forward.  
  
"It wasn't my fault, I had family obligations." he said.  
  
"Obligations that weren't as important as Sakura?"  
  
"That's why I came back." he said. "I came back to find her and marry   
her."  
  
"I'm sure she's made it clear about her feelings." Daisuke said.  
  
"She has," Shaoran said. He turned to Daisuke, "She says she doesn't   
deserve you but its you that doesn't deserve her."  
  
"And you do?" Daisuke asked.  
  
Shaoran sighed, "I'm trying to make up for that."  
  
"You don't approve of our relationship do you?"  
  
"How can I when I still love her?" Shaoran asked.  
  
"So why did you leave her?" Daisuke asked. "Don't you know what it   
did to her?"  
  
Shaoran stared at his drink.  
  
Daisuke couldn't even look at Shaoran. "She was so torn up inside."   
he whispered. "As if nothing mattered to her."  
  
"I-"  
  
"She talked about you as if you were dead." Daisuke said, "She felt   
as if she didn't love you enough. She took all the blame on her   
shoulders."  
  
"Listen-"  
  
"I don't know what she was like before, but she's changed. She's   
strong, and can be on her own. I'm lucky that she agreed to marry me."  
  
Shaoran sighed, "I know what I did to her was wrong, but I plan to   
make things right." he said. "She still loves me, I can tell."  
  
Daisuke pulled out some money and tossed it onto the counter, "She's   
chosen," he tried to say around the lump in his throat, "Please..   
leave us alone." and left the bar.  
  
  
  
Sakura opened the door, "Daisuke!" she exclaimed.  
  
He wrapped his arms around her.  
  
"What's wrong?" she asked as she closed the door with her foot.  
  
"Nothing." he said, "I just wanted to hold you."  
  
Sakura smiled, "I won't object to that."  
  
Daisuke sighed, "Sakura..."  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"Are you happy?"  
  
She smiled, "What a silly question, of course I am."  
  
He smiled back.  
  
  
  
"He talked to you?" Sakura asked later that day. They were sitting on   
the couch, a knot of limbs and bodies, their fingers intertwined with   
each other.  
  
"Yes." Daisuke said. "He wanted to size up the competition I guess."  
  
"I thought he'd understand. I never thought he'd do something like   
this."  
  
"Things change Sakura." Daisuke said, "He's no longer the Shaoran you   
remembered when you were little. Nor is he the same Shaoran that   
entered college with you."  
  
"Yes but-" she sighed, "I'm going to talk to him, make him see-"  
  
"No." he said.  
  
"No?" she asked.  
  
"No." he said, "Sakura... if you want to break up and-"  
  
"Silly." she whispered, "Just because the guy I was heartbroken over   
returns doesn't mean that I want him." she turned to him and kissed   
him, "Things change." she whispered, "You're the one I want."  
  
He smiled.  
  
"We're two of a kind." she said, "We belong together."  
  
"I'm the one that doesn't deserve you." he whispered.  
  
"Don't start stealing my lines." she said in mock admonishment.  
  
He laughed.  
--------------------  
  
1) Okay I'm not sure if this moved the plot but... oh well... I   
wanted Daisuke and Shaoran to meet, a sort of old guy meets new guy   
thing. Yeah...  
  
2) previous chapters found on fanfiction.net =)  
  
3) Happy Turkey Day Everybody! 


	17. Make Magic

XVII - Make Magic  
  
----------------  
  
"Daisuke!"  
  
He smiled as he stood up waving.  
  
Sakura walked through the maze of tables. He noticed that Shaoran was   
with her. He sighed and smiled when they arrived at their table.  
  
"I'm sorry, I ran into him while shopping." she whispered with a   
smile as she kissed him.  
  
"Its all right." he said with a turned to pull her chair out. Shaoran   
had all ready done it.  
  
"Thank you." she said to both men as she sat down. She turned to   
Daisuke, "I thought it was a nice way for you two to get to know each   
other."  
  
Daisuke smiled across the table at Shaoran. "Yes that's a good idea."   
his eyes meeting Shaoran's.  
  
Daisuke was annoyed, he had planned the day with Sakura, now he had   
to share it with Shaoran? He rarely got time off between studies and   
work. But if trying to get along with Shaoran was what she wanted,   
then he'd try.  
  
Shaoran blinked then turned to Sakura. "Remember we used to come   
here?"  
  
Sakura smiled, "Yes," she said, she turned to Daisuke, "we used to   
come here in the spring to study." she smiled at him, "But things   
have changed." she turned to Shaoran, "They've changed owners." she   
turned back to Daisuke, "They were so excited to find out about the   
engagement."  
  
Shaoran smiled, "They?"  
  
Sakura smiled as she took a sip of her tea, "Yes, they're friends of   
ours."  
  
Daisuke smiled. Shaoran smiled back but the smile did not reach his  
eyes. It was going to be a trying afternoon.  
  
  
  
Sakura sighed as she entered the apartment. Daisuke stood in the   
doorway. She turned, "What's wrong?" she asked as she walked up to   
him with a smile.  
  
"I'm sorry I was bad company today." he said.  
  
She wrapped her arms around him, "Its all right." she said as she   
rose her face to kiss him, "I know you planned to spend the day with   
me, I really had no idea that he'd run into me. I really want the two   
of you to get along."  
  
He smiled as he wrapped an arm around her waist, "I'll try to be more   
understanding." he lowered his face to kiss her.  
  
"Oh! Phone." she said as her phone rang.  
  
He sighed.  
  
Sakura smiled up at him, "It'll only be a minute." she ran into her   
room. A moment later, "Shaoran-kun!"  
  
Daisuke silently groaned as he sat down on the lumpy couch. He picked   
up one of Kimiko's manga and began to flip through it and then   
promptly put it back down. "Kimi-chan you and yaoi." he muttered. He   
picked up a magazine instead.  
  
He must have fallen asleep because he woke up to Sakura laying a   
blanket on him. He smiled up at her, "Have a nice talk?" when he was   
dying to ask /So? What did you two talk about?/  
  
She smiled and sat on the couch next to him pulling the blanket over   
the both of them. "Yes." she said and turned to him, "He asked me to   
go have dinner with him."  
  
"And?" he asked as he pulled her closer to him. Sakura let her head   
rest on his shoulder.  
  
"I said yes." she said and hid her face under the blanket.  
  
"I'm not the one to ask permission." he said.  
  
"I know but-" she sighed, "I know you don't like him-"  
  
"Sakura." he said, "Its not that I don't like him. Its just that he   
wants you back and he sees me as an obstacle. I would love to get to   
know him." he said, "I try to be his friend because you want me to.   
You know that I can't say no to you."  
  
She smiled up at him and kissed his cheek, "Thank you, I appreciate   
that." she whispered.  
  
He smiled and kissed her forehead. Her hand found his and twined   
fingers with his, "Daisuke..." she whispered.  
  
"Hmmm?"  
  
"I love you." she said raising her eyelashes at him so she had her   
full attention at him.  
  
He smiled, "I do too."  
  
  
  
"Hai Daidouji-desu."  
  
"Tomoyo-chan." Sakura said.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Tomoyo exclaimed, "I got your letter, is it true?"  
  
Sakura felt herself blush, "Yes." she said.  
  
"Oh how wonderful!" Tomoyo gushed over the phone, "You will let me   
design the dress right?"  
  
"I wouldn't have it any other way." Sakura said as she curled up   
under the covers.  
  
"You haven't called in a while."  
  
"I know." Sakura said guiltily.  
  
"But I understand since you have a new person in your life."  
  
"!"  
  
Tomoyo chuckled.  
  
"Tomoyo-chan." Sakura said softly.  
  
"Let me guess Shaoran-kun is there."  
  
"How did you-"  
  
"Well... he and I have been meeting occasionally from time to time."   
Tomoyo said. "He visits the campus often."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"I just got your letter when he came by."  
  
"So he found out." Sakura said.  
  
"Yes." Tomoyo said. "Needless to say it shook him badly."  
  
"Tomoyo-chan..." Sakura whispered. "I- I..."  
  
"You're confused?"  
  
Sakura nodded and forgot that Tomoyo couldn't see. "Yes."  
  
"Sakura-chan, when is the next time you see Shaoran?"  
  
"Tomorrow night." Sakura said as she hugged the bunny Daisuke had won   
for her a year ago.  
  
"When you see him ask yourself the question, 'who do I want to be   
with?'"  
  
"But-"  
  
"You'll know the answer." she said.  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"But I have a feeling that you already know the answer in your heart."  
  
Sakura smiled at the bunny. "Tomoyo he's so good. He *knows* me."  
  
"I'm sure he does." Tomoyo said, "Judging from the letter, he knows   
you very well."  
  
Sakura blushed, "He flies!"  
  
Tomoyo giggled. "Coming from you I'll take it literally."  
  
Sakura giggled too. "He's what I needed."  
  
"And to think a year ago you thought you weren't ready."  
  
"I know..." she said.  
  
"See Sakura? Once you let go of your fear, everything worked out."   
Tomoyo said.  
  
"Not everything." Sakura said.  
  
"Yes, everything will work out." Tomoyo said. "Because I know you'll   
listen to your heart."  
  
"Tomoyo-chan?"  
  
"Yes?" she asked.  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Any time Sakura-chan."  
  
  
  
"I'm going now." she said to him.  
  
"All right." he said.  
  
"Will you be home tonight?" she asked.  
  
"Depends." he said.  
  
"Oh what?"  
  
/On if you changed your mind./ "On if Kentarou brings his girlfriend   
home."  
  
"Leave a note." she said. "On your window. Kerochan will find it, if   
its not there I'll come by."  
  
He nodded. He remembered the meeting between Kerochan and With. They   
got along perfectly. Kerochan got used to talking to a white bunny   
and With adored Kerochan by jumping all over him. It was an instant   
friendship.  
  
He kissed her forehead.  
  
She kissed him and then got out of the car. He watched as she crossed   
the street and turned to wave at him at the restaurant entrance. She   
looked so beautiful, a simple white dress that ended at the knee, a   
pale green cardigan, sandals, and a white ribbon around her neck. She   
chose the outfit knowing it was the one that Daisuke liked best.  
  
When he returned home he curled up on his bed and waited.  
  
  
  
Shaoran rose from his seat and pulled hers out.  
  
Sakura smiled, "Thank you, did you wait long?"  
  
"No." he said. "You look nice."  
  
Sakura sat down, "You too."  
  
He sat down and smoothed an imaginary wrinkle out of his jacket. "I   
try." he said.  
  
"Always modest." she said.  
  
He smiled.  
  
"I-"  
  
"Why don't we order?" she asked as she opened her menu.  
  
Shaoran nodded and opened his menu.  
  
Minutes later they were talking about Tomoyo.  
  
"I see her often." Shaoran said, "The family does some business with   
Clamp Campus."  
  
"She mentioned that." Sakura turned a page in the menu, "I should   
visit her one of these days." Sakura said. "I've never visited Clamp   
Campus."  
  
Shaoran smiled, "You'd fit right in."  
  
"Really? I'm a bit afraid of the campus. The mail they send is very   
cute, and their curriculum is a bit strange."  
  
"You could say its an alternative campus." he said.  
  
"And you?" she asked, "You rarely talk about school. Only family   
business."  
  
"I go to school. I take classes in business." Shaoran said as he took   
a sip of his coffee.  
  
"What else?" she said jokingly.  
  
"Its a bit boring, but its what I need to learn to run the family   
business. Its not engineering, but its not so bad." he said as he   
moved his coffee cup so the waiter could set the appetizer down.  
  
Sakura placed her napkin in her lap.  
  
"I do take other classes on the side."  
  
"Like?" Sakura asked as she speared some salad with her fork.  
  
"Cooking, sewing." he said simply.  
  
Sakura laughed. "I thought you wouldn't take those classes."  
  
"Someone has to." he said with a shrug. "I have to learn on my own, I   
can't run to someone to sew hems on pant legs. Besides," he added as   
he added some salt to his soup, "one day I'll need to do those things   
for my own family, kind of like your father."  
  
Sakura wiped her mouth to cover the surprise in her face. "Yes." she   
said after a moment, "I agree, everybody needs to know those things."  
  
"I don't like the old notion that we need to have roles in families."   
he said.  
  
Sakura put her fork down.  
  
"Its not like I expect my wife to be at home-are you all right?"   
Shaoran asked concerned.  
  
"I don't want to ruin my appetite for dinner." she said. It was a   
lie. She had lost it a while back when he talked about family. She   
looked at him for a moment, he was very handsome and still the same   
person she had loved so long ago. /Who do I want to be with?/ she   
thought as she pushed her salad around with her fork. She was having   
fun talking to Shaoran about life but it was lacking something. It   
lacked Daisuke.  
  
/I want to be with Daisuke./ she thought. /Not here./  
  
"Would you like some tea?" he asked shaking her out of her thoughts.  
  
"Oh, yes that would be nice." she said.  
  
As Shaoran turned away to call for a waiter, Sakura looked down at   
her hands. No ring was on her finger yet. She refused to wear one   
since it was an expense that Daisuke couldn't handle. /Shaoran could   
probably find the best and the oldest ring./ she thought oddly. She   
remembered the ring he used to propose to her a few years ago.  
  
"Thank you." she said when the waiter brought her the tea. Right   
behind him came the dinner.  
  
"So when do you graduate?" he asked, "I know it should be coming up."  
  
"I have a semester left." Sakura said as she poured milk and sugar   
into her tea.  
  
"Engineering." he said with a smile.  
  
"Yes." she said, "I guess I mastered my fear of math."  
  
"I knew you would." he said. "And afterwards?"  
  
She shrugged, "Wait for Daisuke to get out of school, he has a   
semester left. Apply for a job, start real life."  
  
He nodded and busied himself with his steak. "The real world isn't   
that bad." he said. "Especially when you have the right person to   
support you." he looked at her.  
  
/Yes but you don't have to make ends meet./ Sakura thought. She   
immediately regretted thinking such a bad thought for her friend and   
smiled, "I'm sure it won't be, as long as I'm with Daisuke."  
  
He smiled at Sakura. "I was hoping you have time to come to Hong Kong   
and meet my family."  
  
"That'd be nice, but with finals and Daisuke coming to meet my   
family, it probably won't be for a long while." she said.  
  
"You'd love my family, they have heard so much about you." he said as   
he cut through his meat.  
  
She let her fork rest on the edge of the plate and swallowed what was   
left in her mouth."Shaoran." she said.  
  
Shaoran looked up at her, his smile fading. "Don't you... love me any   
more?" Shaoran asked. It was out in the open.  
  
"Of course I do." she said. "I always will, but that's a different   
kind of love."  
  
"It is?"  
  
She nodded, "You are one of my closest and oldest friends." she   
said, "that's how I love you now."  
  
"I see..."  
  
"I know you did not ask me to dinner with the intention to find out   
what I'm doing in my life." she took a breath, "I can't go back to   
when I loved you unconditionally." she said as she lowered her   
eyes, "Too much has changed."  
  
"But..." he stopped, "I love you!" his eyes were wild and dark, "You   
can't honestly tell me that you love him. Not when we've been through   
so much."  
  
Sakura didn't react, "I know." she said. "I know you don't want to   
believe that I've moved on, but I have, and I don't think I'll ever   
go back." she looked up at him.  
  
"What am I going to do with out you?" he asked. He looked so broken.   
Sakura looked away, his face had too much sadness.  
  
She looked up at him, "I asked myself the same thing years ago and   
then I met Daisuke."  
  
  
  
He sat in the darkness of his apartment. Kentarou was out partying   
with his girlfriend and said with a wink that he would not return.   
Daisuke was grateful for the warning. He wanted to be alone today.  
  
/Sakura is out there with Shaoran. On a date./ he thought.  
  
Suddenly With hopped over to the window. He hopped up and down in   
front of the window.  
  
"What now?" Daisuke asked With as he walked to the   
window. "Kerochan!" He opened the window.  
  
Kerochan flew in and sat down on the edge of the desk that was facing   
the window. "About time." he said. "I've been knocking for a good ten   
minutes."  
  
"Sorry." Daisuke said.  
  
With hopped around Kerochan, "Kyuuu kyuuu!"  
  
Kerochan smiled at With, "How are you doing with depressed boy here?"  
  
With lowered his head and fell over.  
  
Kerochan laughed, "Figured as much."  
  
"I get the picture." Daisuke said, "I can't help it if she's out   
there with her ex boyfriend!"  
  
"No, I'm out here." she said.  
  
Daisuke saw her sitting on a tree branch right across from his   
window. She smiled at him. She was still in the clothes she wore on   
the date, a white dress, pale green cardigan and shoes. The outfit he   
loved seeing her in.  
  
"Sakura..."  
  
"Come with me." she said.  
  
"Where?" he asked numbly.  
  
"Leave that up to me." she said as she held her hand out. She looked   
at Kerochan, "You'll be okay here?"  
  
"No problem!" Kerochan said.  
  
Sakura nodded with a smile and then turned to Daisuke. "Let's go."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Take my hand." she said.  
  
"Now? Shouldn't we be on the ground or something?" he asked.  
  
"You're a kaitou, hop to this branch, don't worry." she said, her   
hand was still out stretched towards him.  
  
He placed his foot on the window sill and launched out towards the   
branch. He felt her arms catch him and they soared above the tree   
top, past the dorm building.  
  
Higher, higher, the wind whipped his hair past his face. And finally   
they stopped.  
  
"Sakura..." he whispered.  
  
Wings flapped a bit. "There," she said as if satisfied by the   
height, "don't let go." she whispered.  
  
"I won't." he whispered, he wrapped his arms around her waist. She   
wrapped her arms around his neck.  
  
In the light of the half moon Sakura's face was beautiful, lit up   
with the light of the moon, she kissed his forehead.  
  
"I haven't had much time with you this week." she whispered. "I'm   
sorry." she said, "It seems whenever we try to be together something   
happens."  
  
"More like someone happens." he muttered.  
  
She didn't change her happy face, "I know, so I thought I'd surprise   
you with a bit of night flying." the wind danced through her hair.  
  
He laughed and let his face rest on her shoulder.  
  
"I have to tell you something..." she said, "tonight, Shaoran made   
his intentions very clear."  
  
"Oh?" he asked.  
  
"I told him I'd always love him." she said.  
  
Daisuke waited for what she had to say next before he decided to let   
go and plummet back to earth.  
  
"But that kind of love is love for a very dear, very old friend." she   
said, her fingers playing with his hair.  
  
He gripped his arms tighter around her waist.  
  
"I told him once again that the only person I wanted was you." she   
looked up at him. The moonlight lighting up her green eyes so that   
they flashed pure almost elemental green.  
  
He smiled. "Let's go back down?" he asked.  
  
She nodded. "Hold tight." she said.  
  
"I won't." he whispered. Daisuke hooked his arm under her knees and   
moved his other arm to her back. He whistled for With, who promptly   
came and turned into his character black wings.  
  
"You aren't the only one that can fly." Daisuke said.  
  
Sakura smiled up at him and kissed his cheek. "Let's go home." she   
whispered  
  
---------------  
End  
  
+ I think this chapter is intact. Then again I could be wrong. ^_^;; But it   
reads well the way its done anyways.  
  
+ Wow its finished. Last chapter (I'll be posting an epilogue and a random   
babbling ^^)  
  
C&C always welcome even flaming, how does one progress with out some   
criticism right? ^^   
  
Yes it is all right to gag at the extreme sugar factor. Have your insulin   
shots ready. ^_~ 


	18. Atogaki: Riku

Atogaki: (Epilogue and notes)  
----------------------------------  
-Epilogue-  
  
"To-ya." Yukito called, "They're here."  
  
Touya came down the stairs with a yawn.  
  
"Napping again?" Yukito asked as Touya entered the kitchen.  
  
"Eating again Yuki?" Touya asked back with a smile.  
  
Yukito smiled, "Its an old habit that dies hard. Besides, I'm making   
food for Sakura-chan and her guests."  
  
"Hello?" Sakura called from the front door.  
  
"Sakura-chan!" Fujitaka said.  
  
"Otou-san!"  
  
Touya entered the family room to see Sakura hugging her father. It   
had been at least two years since she had come home.  
  
Behind her stood three people. The shortest was a girl, she looked   
like the opposite of Tomoyo, dyed blond hair, black shirt and jeans.   
She had a protective look about her, especially for Sakura. The man   
next to her had long red hair and a slight body. He hung back as if   
afraid of saying or doing anything while in the house.  
  
The oddest one was not alive, she stood behind the man. She had   
short dark hair and large eyes, and wings. The angel placed her hand   
on his shoulder. The man immediately relaxed a bit and smiled as   
Sakura introduced him to her father.  
  
She looked up at Touya and smiled. She glanced back at the man and   
at Sakura and smiled with a sigh. She seemed to nod but Touya   
couldn't tell with the way she seemed to float up and down. She   
smiled back at Touya and winked then disappeared, fading into the   
sunlight that streamed through the window. Touya glanced back at the   
man. He held onto Sakura's hand as she led him towards him.  
  
"This is my brother Touya." Sakura said.  
  
Touya looked at the man. He held his hand out and suddenly   
remembered his manners and bowed. "Niwa Daisuke."  
  
Touya glanced at Sakura, she looked at him with happiness. He smiled   
and shook his hand, "Kinomoto Touya, this is my friend, Yukito."  
  
As Daisuke turned to greet Yukito, Sakura beamed at Touya.  
  
Touya smiled back, his little sister was back.  
  
  
Notes/Afterword thingy:  
  
I forgot when I started writing Shape of the Heart, but I remember at   
one point when I started writing I wondered if I was doing the right   
thing. ^^;; I mean who in their right mind would want to break up   
one of the most canon couples in Clamp-dom? And who would be right   
for Sakura? It was a challenge I had sent out to the CFFML to see if   
it was possible to write a story that could convince the audience   
that Sakura could truly survive with out Shaoran. I got suckered by   
my own challenge and after some searching bachelor #3 Niwa Daisuke   
seemed like the most obvious reason to pair her with.  
  
Shaoran: I am only letting you borrow her for this fic. .  
Steph: *patpat* I know don't worry. ^^  
Sakura: ho~e? o.o  
  
Anyways ^^;;  
  
I especially want to say thank you so much for reading to the end,   
not to sound sappy or anything but I valued every comment made about   
the fic because in the end that was the best reward I'll ever   
receive. ^^ Comments are what truly keeps me writing. (aside from   
voices demanding to be writen ^^;;;;)  
  
I'd like to thank Meg for beta reading one of the first drafts of the   
fic, and to my friend Tama-Neko who read the fic in its beta stages.   
(She's writing a beautiful Utena/CCS fic by the way ^_~) To Michi for   
pestering her about CCS characters and what not.   
  
There are a few things I want to say, but I just wanted to share some   
things I learned/discovered while writing this cross-over. 


End file.
